Clarence Arthur Stillions

Clarence Arthur Stillions 

Clarence Arthur (“C.A.”) Stillions, PE, SE, RA, 83, died peacefully on November 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. He was born May 23, 1941 in Sumner, IL to Woodrow Wilson and Margaret Lou (Piper) Stillions. C.A. is survived by two children: Emily Stillions of Vienna, VA, and Eric Stillions of Los Angeles, CA. He was married to Diane Bessette from 1982 to 2005. His parents and sister, Sally Jo Stillions, preceded him in death.

C.A. graduated from Mattoon High School in Mattoon, IL before earning his Bachelor of Architecture degree (1965) and Master of Science in Architectural Engineering degree (1967) from the University of Illinois. He began his career as an architect and structural engineer with Caudill Rowlett Scott, Inc., in Houston, TX, before relocating to Washington, DC, where he joined Ellerbe Architects, Inc. Later, he joined Cagley & Associates working on commercial buildings, embassies, and casinos.  

In 1987, C.A. joined Sverdrup Corp. in Rosslyn, VA, as Structural Section Manager, conducting design reviews and preliminary site visits for 14 embassies around the world, as well as work on the Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. In 1997, C.A. began nearly 20 years of service as Structural Engineer at the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). His tenure included structural work on the Capitol and related properties, including the construction of the Capitol-Visitors Center (CVC), the largest expansion of the U.S. Capitol building. He was commended by the AOC as well as the Office of the Senate Superintendent during his retirement ceremony on March 18, 2016 recognizing his dedicated service maintaining the structural integrity and preservation of the U.S. Capitol. 

Introduced to stamps as a boy scout, C.A.'s greatest passion was his lifelong hobby of philately. C.A. was an avid philatelist collecting stamps in a broad array (e.g., United States, British-North American, World Countries, Topical). He held leadership voluntary roles in local, national and international stamp clubs and exhibited regularly at U.S. and Canadian philatelic conferences earning numerous awards. His long list of memberships and volunteer efforts included: the American Philatelic Society, The Royal Philatelic Society London (Fellow, 1975), the British-North American Philatelic Society (BNAPS), Washington Stamp Collectors Club, National Postmark Museum (aka Postmark Collectors Club Museum), American Topical Association, Scouts on Stamps Society International, and others. In BNAPS, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Order of the Beaver. C.A. authored two books for BNAPS: Newfoundland's Last Definitives: The Waterlow Printings (2019) and Newfoundland's Last Definitives: The Perkins Bacon and Sprague Printings (2018). Aside from the recognitions earned, his fellow philatelists were among his most cherished friendships.  

C.A. was a faithful member of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC for 20 years, during which he volunteered with a group of adults and youth to perform repairs at the Episcopal Mission churches of the Shoshone tribe in Fort Hall, Idaho, and the Ute tribe in northeastern Utah. 

C.A. was an active leader with the D.C. Waterfront Village on their group walks where he could share his vast knowledge of the city's history and buildings and made enduring friendships.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Clarence A. Stillions' name to any of the following: American Diabetes Society, Boy Scouts of America, National Building Museum, Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Washington, DC. For notification and condolences, please email: catrust1234@gmail.com.  

He will be deeply missed by his friends and family.
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