Tyler Stanger was born April 25, 1980 in Ogden, Utah. He is the second of six children born to Thayne and Victoria Stanger. He has an older brother, Travis, from his father's first marriage. In 1988 the Stanger family moved to Walnut, California. He attended Suzanne Middle School and Walnut High School, graduating from Walnut High School in 1998. He was in the marching band and the performing band at Walnut High School. Tyler also was the ward organist for his church and often played piano solos for the congregation.

While in high school, Tyler began flying lessons and spent some time with the local Civil Air Patrol out of Brackett Field in Pomona, California. Tyler was seeking a challenge and decided to consider the Marine Corps life. He went to Camp Pendleton and spent a week at Devil Pups Training where young men experience a mini boot camp. He loved the experience and when he returned, shared stories about a run with his team to the top of a hill at Camp Pendleton. This experiment would later come to exemplify the man Tyler was-one who would pull others along in his wake with his determination, inspiration, energy, and dogged perseverance.

Through the ROP outplacement program at Walnut High School, he had the opportunity to work with Robin Howard at Howard's Aviation at Brackett Field. He had a good mechanical aptitude and Robin was a great teacher and mentor. Tyler earned his pilot's license when he was seventeen, and throughout the next few years often shuttled airplanes and picked up parts around southern California, meanwhile gaining more flight hours and experience. He spent many long days working and flying at Howard's. Most of the money he earned went toward more flight instruction.

When Tyler turned nineteen he was called to serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Oregon, Portland mission, which encompassed a good part of northwest Oregon and parts of southwest Washington. He met, inspired and influenced a lot of people while on his mission. Both members and non-members loved to have him around their homes. He served an honorable mission and was released from the mission home to travel back to California with his father early in the summer of 2001.

After returning home to Walnut, Tyler enrolled again at Mt. San Antonio Community College in the aeronautics program. He knew he had to earn a living and accumulate flight hours. His first goals were to get his A & PP license and to earn a living. Also, flight time was eating up his income, so flight instructor status was also on the horizon. Airplane rental was expensive, so he pooled his resources to buy his first airplane and generate income from others who did not like the quality of the rental airplanes. He equipped his plane with up-to-date Garmin avionics and charged a premium for the use of his plane.

During this period of time he met the "love of his life," Stephanie. They developed a committed friendship, and with Tyler's encouragement and the help of the local missionaries, Stephanie joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They became engaged and were married a year later-February 8, 2003, in the Portland Temple. The second joy of Tyler's life, Ashlund, was born on December 9, 2005. In July, 2006, Stephanie and Tyler announced that they were expecting the, third joy of Tyler's life, a new baby in March 2007. Powell was born March, 2007.

Tyler decided to continue his education and get a Bachelor of Science Degree in Airport Management from Southern Illinois University. SIU had an extension campus affiliated with Mt. SAC where he attended in his non-working hours. He graduated from SIU in June of 2004. He and a fellow graduate flew his airplane to Illinois for the graduation, and after the ceremony, he and Stephanie took one of many cross country fights.

Friendships were important to Tyler. Cory Lidle was one of those special people to him. Anyone in Tyler's circle of friends knew there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them or with them. Cory would call Tyler in the middle of the night for answers to the questions on his ground school portion of his flight training. Tyler was happy to get up and come to the phone and teach him in the middle of the night. They traveled together from time to time and their wives became fast friends. Why these extraordinary young men, who were great examples of American success and goodness were called home so early to their Father in Heaven will always be a mystery. But we are secure in the words of a song we sing that says, "Families Can Be Together Forever." Tyler loved the heavens and now flies unconstrained by earthly bonds with his good friend. We long to see him on the other side. Tyler's family would like to thank all the compassionate people who knew Tyler. We appreciate the outpouring of love from everyone. We witnessed this love in the generous offerings of prayers and donations to his Memorial Fund for Ashlund and Powell. It was absolutely amazing how many lives he was able to influence in his short time here on earth.