Gone But Not Forgotten

Honoring fallen comrades is an important part of the AOG mission and we ask to be notified as soon as possible of the death of any graduate, Air Training Officer or cadet so that we can take appropriate actions. The AOG has learned of the following deaths within the past 90 days.

For best results, try searching by Last Name (e.g. Smith), Class Year (e.g. 1959), or Cadet Squadron (e.g. CS-01). More complex searches may not return desired results.

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Lt Col (Ret) Jack Mueller - Class of 1970 , CS-28

Deceased on April 26, 2024 - Informed on April 30, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: 1000 hours on 14 August 2024 at St. Peter Catholic Church, 55 Jefferson St., Monument, CO 80132. Inturment at USAFA cemetery will follow.

Lt Col (Ret) Russell Northrop - Class of 1970 , CS-36

Deceased on September 25, 2017 - Informed on October 4, 2017

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A celebration in memory was held 29 Sept 2017 at the Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home; 77 Exeter Rd; Newmarket, NH. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on 30 Sept 2017 at the Church of St. Thomas More in Durham, NH. Burial followed in the Durham Cemetery. The family has suggested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Heart to Heart International; 13250 W. 98th St; Lenexa, KS 66215; www.hearttoheart.org or to the St. Thomas More Church Music Ministries; PO Box 620; Durham, NH 03824.

1st Lt Steve Noyes - Class of 1970 , CS-33

Deceased on March 28, 1972

2d Lt Patrick O'Brien III - Class of 1970 , CS-10

Deceased on July 3, 1971

Mr. Gregory O'Kelly - Class of 1970 , CS-27

Deceased on October 6, 2012 - Informed on October 11, 2012

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A Celebration of Life will be held on 12 Oct 2012 at 1800 hrs at his home 392 Pismo St; San Luis Obispo, CA. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the San Luis Obispo Meals on Wheels; 1637 La Vineda Ct; San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 541-1336.

Mr. Thomas O'Meara , Jr. - Class of 1970 , CS-20

Deceased on November 22, 2023 - Informed on November 27, 2023

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A service will be held at 1100 hours on 6 Dec 2023 at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, 5226 W William Cannon Dr, Austin, TX 78749. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers are requested in Thom's memory to the Hill County Ride for Aids, https://p2p.onecause.com/hcra2024, the Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, https://onrealm.org/MySHPC/-/form/give/Legacy, or to the Air Force Academy Foundation, https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063 (please put "Tom O'Meara" in the special note box at the bottom of the page). Obituary: https://www.statesman.com/obituaries/paco0637905

Dr. Michael Paddack - Class of 1970 , CS-24

Deceased on April 28, 2019 - Informed on May 6, 2019

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A service was held on 06 May 2019 at 1100 hrs at First Methodist Church; 1005 Stover St; Fort Collins, CO 80524. The family has suggested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Guadalupe Mountains National Park; 400 Pine Canyon Dr; Salt Flat, TX 79847.

Lt Col (Ret) Stanley Parks , Jr. - Class of 1970 , CS-28

Deceased on January 15, 2007 - Informed on March 10, 2008

Memorial Services: He was cremated and a private memorial service was held in his home. Memoiral Donations: Hospice of Dayton, 324 wilmington Ave, Dayton OH 45420.

Maj (Ret) Lloyd Patterson - Class of 1970 , CS-22

Deceased on November 15, 2000

Maj (Ret) Jay Pelzer - Class of 1970 , CS-23

Deceased on March 19, 2019 - Informed on March 21, 2019

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services are pending at this time.

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Next of Kin

For Next of Kin support resources please visit: https://www.usafanextofkin.org/

Frequently Asked Questions

Gone But Not Forgotten Annual Publication

The Air Force Academy Association and Foundation are introducing a new benefit to better memorialize USAFA graduates and support their families. We are launching a new annual memorial publication in 2025.

A: As the Academy graduate population ages, Checkpoints is increasingly insufficient in accommodating the increasing number of obituaries. This has necessitated the creation of a new publication as part of our commitment to remembering all fallen graduates, Air Training Officers and cadets.
A: The purpose of the publication is to honor and perpetuate the legacy of the Long Blue Line through the personal stories of our graduates. The publication is in the spirit of our mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.
A: Gone But Not Forgotten will be part of the final name, which is not yet finalized.
A: No, but the Association will list basic information on deaths in each issue of Checkpoints.
A: No. If/when memorial articles are sent to the AOG, the tribute is posted to this webpage.
A: A complimentary copy will be mailed to a loved one of the deceased. It is not yet determined if the printed publication will be available at a nominal cost or at no cost to AOG members.
A: There will be a one-year transition period. Memorial articles sent in to run in Checkpoints in 2024 will also appear in the inaugural memorial publication. The deadline for Gone But Not Forgotten submissions in the December 2024 issue of Checkpoints is mid-October, but any memorial articles about deaths for the remainder of 2024 received by mid-January 2025 will appear in the inaugural 2025 stand-alone publication. Then going forward, the full years’ worth of tributes would be published in the next year’s volume.
A: The first memorial publication will likely be printed in February or March of 2025.
A: We currently have a 400-word maximum for each memorial tribute and will continue with that limit for the first stand-alone publication. We’re doing this because we have already received submissions at that length and don’t plan to ask for longer versions for the 2025 edition.
A: We will transition to roughly 450- or 900-word options for memorial tributes. Whoever writes and submits the memorial article will have the option to write to either word limit.
A: A recent favorite photo of the deceased, when possible. The photo (head and shoulders, color preferred) should be emailed as a .jpg and sent as a high-resolution image.
A: Please email Next-of-Kin Support Specialist Terri Davis at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
A: That is coming soon.
A: Please reach out to David Bitton, assistant director of strategic communications and publications, at 719-247-8745 or use our Contact Form.

Gone But Not Forgotten