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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Col (Ret) Robert Foerster - Class of 1965 , CS-24

Deceased on November 24, 2024 - Informed on December 4, 2024

Funeral Service: 1130 hours on 16 December 2024, at the Memorial Pavilion at the USAFA Cementery, Colorado Springs, CO. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Human Society at https://www.hsi.org/ or to Care at https://www.care.org/.

Mr. Steven Kelly - Class of 1985 , CS-01

Deceased on November 5, 2024 - Informed on December 4, 2024

Celebration of Life (UT): 1400 hours 23 November 2024 at the Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E 10600 S, Sandy, UT 84092. A luncheon will will be held prior to the service from 1200 until 1330 hours). Celebration of Life (PA): 1330 hours on 7 December 2025 at the Valleybrook Clubhouse, Lancater, PA. A luncheon will be held prior to the service from 1130 until 1330 hours. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hunstman Cancer Institute at https://give.huntsmancancer.org/page/67433/donate/1. Obituary: https://www.larkinmortuary.com/obituary/view/steve-kelly/

Mr. Murray Loeffler - Class of 1966 , CS-12

Deceased on June 11, 2023 - Informed on December 3, 2024

Col (Ret) David Bockelman - Class of 1962 , CS-17

Deceased on November 14, 2024 - Informed on November 26, 2024

Funeral service: 1000 hours on 5 December 2024, at the USAFA Cemetery, Colorado Springs, CO. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Parkinson's Foundation, https://www.parkinson.org/.

Maj (Ret) Grady Gaulke - Class of 1963 , CS-07

Deceased on August 17, 2024 - Informed on November 26, 2024

Celebration of Life: 1100 hours on 28 September 2024, at First Baptist Church of La Vernia, 201 S. Crews St., LaVernia, TX 78121. Inurnment: At the USAFA Cemetery at a later date. Obituary: https://www.finchfuneralchapels.com/memorials/grady-gaulke-maj-usaf-ret/5474731/index.php

Maj (Ret) Thomas Rice - Class of 1992 , CS-33

Deceased on November 16, 2024 - Informed on November 25, 2024

Visitation: 1500 until 1700 hours on 1 December 2024, at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. 1000 until 1130 hours 2 December 2024, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 901 East Newport Pike, Wilmington, DE 19804. Mass of Christian Burial: 1130 hours on 2 December 2024, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 901 East Newport Pike, Wilmington, DE 19804. A full military interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery, 6001 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE. Memorial donations: in lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hockey Fights Cancer at https://www.nhl.com/community/hockey-fights-cancer/, or to the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Colorectal Cancer Research at https://www.mskcc.org/research-programs/colorectal-cancer-research. Obituary: https://www.dohertyfh.com/obituary/Thomas-Rice#obituary

Lt Col (Ret) Jon Nelson - Class of 1969 , CS-27

Deceased on November 11, 2024 - Informed on November 25, 2024

Service: A private service will be held. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mdjonline/name/jon-nelson-obituary?id=56830030

Mr. Thomas Herbst - Class of 1964 , CS-15

Deceased on October 28, 2024 - Informed on November 25, 2024

Memorial service: A funeral and memorial service will be held at a later date. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pricecountyreview/name/thomas-herbst-obituary?id=56824307

Mr. David Boeck - Class of 1963 , CS-22

Deceased on November 13, 2024 - Informed on November 19, 2024

Service details: 1300 hours on 11 December 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery. David "Dave" Joseph Boeck passed away on November 13, 2024 in MorningStar Memory Care at Bear Creek in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 5, 1940 to parents Joseph Boeck and Sylvia (nee Isleb) Boeck. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1963 as a Civil Engineer. He was stationed in Moses Lake, Washington and served overseas in Labrador, Newfoundland-Canada and was honorably discharged on June 4, 1969 at the rank of Captain. His awards and decorations include the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Longevity Service Award (one oak leaf cluster) and the National Defense Service Medal. He received a bachelor's degree of mechanical engineering from Marquette University in 1968 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He then received his master's degree of business administration from Marquette University in 1973. He was married to his childhood sweetheart Kathleen (nee Lowney) Simon from 1963 to 1985. He then found his second and final love and was married to Elaine Piwoni-Boeck from 1989 until her passing in 2019. Little known fact is that he has two patents in his name. He engineered computerized storage and retrieval systems. Some of the end-products (to name a few) were paint, cosmetics, calculators, and his last project involved pharmaceuticals. He loved working and truly missed it when he retired. One of his passions was photography and he spent numerous hours outside his back door in Divide, Colorado taking pictures of the majestic mountains. His other passions were geology and lapidary -spending hours rockhounding, flying personal aircraft, and scuba diving in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans. He is survived by his two children Lynnette (Chuck) Boeck-Lopushansky and Lisa Boeck-Jenkins; his grandchildren David and Lance Jenkins; his nephews Kevin (Kimberly) Boeck, Brian (Kathy) Boeck, and Michael (Rachel) Drake and their families; and his sister-in-laws Eleanore Piwoni, Jo-Ann Piwoni, and Susan Boeck. He is preceded in death by his wife Elaine, brother Arthur "Art", and his parents. A sincere thank you to all who tended to his care throughout the years to include all the team members at MorningStar Memory Care at Bear Creek (too many to list individually) and his healthcare teams from Bloom Health and Bloom Hospice. A special thank you to Quajaun "Q" and Angela Dersno who were his surrogate family and spent numerous hours providing him the love and comfort he needed. A formal burial with full military honors will take place at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Reception to follow at the Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Class of '63 Memorial Fund, 529631. [Make checks payable to Air Force Academy Foundation, include note with intended fund (Class of '63 Memorial Fund, 529631) along with your first name, last name, email address, home address and who the gift is intended for. Mail to: Air Force Academy Foundation ATTN: Gift Processing 3116 Academy Drive USAF Academy, CO 90840-4475 To make a gift online, please follow this link: usafa.org/63memorial To send flowers to the family or plant a tree

Lt Col (Ret) Richard Krobusek - Class of 1964 , CS-22

Deceased on November 8, 2024 - Informed on November 18, 2024

Service details not available at this time. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made ot the Parkinson's Foundation at https://www.parkinson.org/ or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at https://www.michaeljfox.org/. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/dallas-tx/richard-krobusek-12069621

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Next of Kin

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten annual publication

The Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation has introduced a new benefit to better memorialize USAFA graduates and support their families.

Gone But Not Forgotten, which appeared in Checkpoints magazine for decades, has transitioned to a dedicated, annual publication. The inaugural edition of Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten will be published around March 2025.

As the Academy’s graduate population ages, Checkpoints has become increasingly stretched in accommodating the growing number of submitted memorial articles.
The new Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten publication will honor the Long Blue Line by sharing the personal stories of graduates and preserving their legacy. It reflects the Association and Foundation’s mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution and Long Blue Line.
We considered several cost-effective, impactful options and consulted with our peers at the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. West Point’s TAPS publication provided an excellent model for this new publication.
A: As part of this new service, a complimentary copy will be provided to a loved one of the deceased memorialized in the publication. Additional printed copies will be available for a nominal fee. The digital version will be available to all AOG members.
A: AOG members can access the inaugural digital issue at usafa.org once live. If you are not a member but wish to join and access this benefit and others, membership is available at no cost to all USAFA graduates here.
A: Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten is available for pre-order for $25 at shop.usafa.org or by calling 719-472-0300. Proceeds will help fund the program and offset the costs of providing a complimentary copy to families of fallen graduates, Air Training Officers, and cadets.
Each memorial article is available as a commemorative keepsake for $15. These articles are printed on parchment-like paper suitable for framing and come enclosed in a folder. Pre-orders can be placed at shop.usafa.org or by calling 719-472-0300.
A: Jan. 15 is the deadline for memorial article submissions for 2024 deaths.
A: Memorial articles should be 400 or fewer words in the inaugural publication.
A: Email a recent favorite photo of the deceased. The photo (head and shoulders, color preferred) should be emailed as a high-resolution .jpg. Low-resolution image submissions may be declined in favor of a cadet yearbook photo.
A: Submit a memorial article and photo through a form at usafanextofkin.org or email deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
A: Memorial articles for deaths in 2025 should be emailed when ready to ensure the Association can post the tribute on usafa.org/heritage/gbnf.
A: Memorial articles won’t appear in Checkpoints following the December 2024 issue, but the magazine will continue to list death notices.
A: Death notices will be printed in each issue of Checkpoints.
A: One of the major benefits of transitioning to a dedicated, annual publication is that memorial articles for deaths in 2025 can be up to 800 words. Each article will be respectfully presented on its own full page.
A: Memorial articles for deaths in 2025 will be printed around March 2026.
A: Call 719-472-0300 or email Terri Davis, next-of-kin support specialist, at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
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