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) John McMurray , Jr. - Class of 1973, CS-38

Deceased on September 30, 2021 - Informed on October 5, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services were held on 3 Oct 2021 in Iowa Park, TX. His obituary can be found at https://www.owensbrumley.com/obituary/lt-col-ret-john-mcmurray-jr. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made in lieu of flowers to a charity of your choice.

Mr. John McNulty , Jr. - Class of 1977, CS-08

Deceased on April 6, 2021 - Informed on May 26, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on 15 Apr 2021 at 10:00 am at the St. Joseph Catholic Church; 225 South Queen Street; Martinsburg, WV 25401; (304) 267-4893. Brown Funeral Home handled the arrangements; 327 West King Street; Martinsburg, WV 25401; (304) 263-8896; www.BrownFuneralHomesWV.com. He was laid to rest at the Rosedale Cemetery; 917 Co Rte 45/6; Martinsburg, WV 25404; (304) 263-4922.

Mr. Martin Mechling

Deceased on February 2, 2021 - Informed on March 17, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A funeral service will be held on 3 June 2021 at 1130 hours at the Miramar National Cemetery; 5795 Nobel Dr; San Diego, CA 92122; (858) 658-7360.

Lt Col (Ret) Donald Motz - Class of 1968, CS-17

Deceased on January 13, 2021 - Informed on January 14, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A funeral service will be held on 9 Feb 2021 at 1000 hours at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Puchbowl Crater; 2177 Puowaina Dr; Honolulu, HI 96813. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans; PO Box 14301; Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301; (877) 647-VETS (8387); www.dav.org.

Col (Ret) Roger Nash - Class of 1972, CS-01

Deceased on January 21, 2021 - Informed on January 26, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A funeral service will be held on 29 Jan 2021at 1300 hours at the USAFA Cemetery. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved to the Memorial Pavilion.

Col (Ret) Edwin Newman II - Class of 1962, CS-08

Deceased on April 7, 2021 - Informed on April 8, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services will be held on 16 Apr 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church; 420 College Drive SW; Banner Elk, NC 28604. In lieu of flowers, contributions would be appreciated to "Carolinas HealthCare Foundation" addressed to Levine Cancer Institute, Carolinas Myeloma Research Fund, c/o Dr. Saad Usmani, Carolinas HealthCare Foundation; 208 East Blvd; Charlotte, NC 28203. https://www.atriumhealthfoundation.org/tribute/.

Ms. Lisa Osterheld - Class of 1983, CS-21

Deceased on August 15, 2021 - Informed on August 30, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A Memorial Service was held on 24 Aug 2021 at 11:00 am at the Everly Funeral Home and Cremation Service; 6161 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22044. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Lisa's memory to the Leiomyosarcoma Support and Direct Research Foundation; https://lmsdr.org.

Lt Col (Ret) John Peebles - Class of 1960, CS-14

Deceased on August 13, 2021 - Informed on August 17, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A visitation will be held on 28 Aug 2021 from 9:00 to 10:00 am, with a memorial service starting at 10:00 am at the Mueller Funeral Home; 6791 Tylersville Road; Mason, OH 45040. Burial service will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery; 171 Mason Montgomery Road; Mason, OH 45040. A lunch reception will follow between 11:30 to 2:30 pm at the Manor House; 7440 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in John's name to the Alzheimer's Association; www.alz.org.

Brig Gen (Ret) Michael Peplinski - Class of 1979, CS-11

Deceased on August 7, 2021 - Informed on August 13, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation will be held on 23 Aug 2021 from 1400 - 2000 hours at Lee- Ellena Funeral Home; 46530 Romeo Plank Rd; Macomb Township, MI 48044; (586) 412-8999; www.lee-ellenafuneralhome.com. A funeral service will be held on 24 Aug 2021 at 1100hours at Colonial Woods Missionary Church; 3240 Pine Grove Ave; Port Huron, MI 48060. Burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery; 4200 Belford Rd; Holly, MI 48442 on 25 Aug 2021 at 0900 hours. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made in lieu of flowers to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; 501 St Jude Pl; Memphis, TN 38105; (877) 805-5856; www.stjude.org.

Dr. Gary Peterson - Class of 1967, CS-17

Deceased on September 9, 2021 - Informed on September 20, 2021

A Celebration of Life service will be held on 1 Oct 2021 at 1400 hours at Walkers Funeral Home; 120 Franklin St; Chapel Hill, NC 27516; (919) 942-3861; www.walkersfuneralservice.com. Interment will follow on a later date still to be determined. His obituary can be found at https://walkersfuneralservice.com/tribute/details/3023/Gary-Peterson-MD/obituary.html#tribute-start

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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 with 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