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) Edward Daniel - Class of 1967 , CS-08

Deceased on August 1, 2024 - Informed on January 30, 2025

Service details; Not available at this time. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Save our Cats and Kittens (SOCKS) organization at 498 Carmel Drive Fort Walton Beach Florida, 32547 or online at https://www.saveourcatsandkittens.com/. Obituary: https://www.twincitiescremationsfunerals.com/tributes/Edward-Daniel

Mr. Donald Avery - Class of 1978 , CS-30

Deceased on January 23, 2025 - Informed on January 28, 2025

Funeral service: 1000 hours on 27 January 2025, at First Baptist Church of Dublin, Dublin, GA. Memorial Donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church Building Fund, PO Box 4845, Dublin, Ga, 31040; Friends of Zambia, c/o First Baptist Church of Dublin, 405 Bellevue Ave., Dublin, Ga 31021; or ABC Women's Clinic, PO Box 1927, Dublin, Ga, 31040. Obituary:

Maj (Ret) Milton Sanders - Class of 1966 , CS-01

Deceased on October 26, 2024 - Informed on January 23, 2025

Viewing: Evening - 1830 hours until 2000 hours on 1 November 2024 at the LDS Chapel, 1800 South 400 West, Orem, UT. Daytime - 0830 hours until 0930 hours at the LDS Chapel, 1800 South 400 West, Orem, UT. Funeral service: 1000 hours on 2 NOvember 2025, at the LDS Chapel 1800 South 400 West, Orem, UT. Interment will follow with military honors at Mt. View Memorial Estates Cemetery, 3115 Bengal Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, UT. Obituary: https://www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com/obituaries/milton-sanders

Mr. Jimmie Amos - Class of 1973 , CS-07

Deceased on April 10, 2024 - Informed on January 23, 2025

Mr. Benjamin Willis , Jr. - Class of 1961 , CS-06

Deceased on December 28, 2024 - Informed on January 13, 2025

Funeral service: 1400 hours on 11 January 2025 at St. Barnabas's Episcopal Church in Falmouth, MA 02540. Interment follows at MA National Cemetery, Connery Avenue Bourne, MA 02532. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Flamouth Historical Society, P.O. Box 174, Falmouth, MA 02541 or at https://museumsonthegreen.org/#. Obituary: https://www.chapmanfuneral.com/obituaries/Benjamin-Grant-Willis?obId=34246038

Col (Ret) William Flood - Class of 1964 , CS-24

Deceased on December 20, 2024 - Informed on January 9, 2025

Committal Service: 1330 hours on 7 January 2025, at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, Mims, FL. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/orange-city-fl/william-flood-12138286

Dr. Jeffrey Rengel - Class of 1994 , CS-21

Deceased on December 28, 2024 - Informed on January 8, 2025

Visitation: 1300 hours on 11 January 2025 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2801 East 4th Street, Duluth, MN 55812. A Mass of Christian Burial: 1400 hours on 11 January 2024 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, 2801 East 4th Street, Duluth, MN 55812. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Tunnels to Towers at https://t2t.org/, Wounded Warrior Project at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/, or Duluth Women's Care Center at https://www.womenscarecenter.org/duluth. Obituary: https://www.doughertyfuneralduluth.com/obituaries/jeffrey-jeff-rengel.

Col (Ret) James McCleskey - Class of 1961 , CS-04

Deceased on December 27, 2024 - Informed on January 7, 2025

Interment: To be held at a later date at the Oakland Cemetery in Clarksville, Arkansas. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ or to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation at https://t2t.org/. Obituary: https://www.hillierfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Colonel-James-Leroy-Mccleskey?obId=34255961

Mr. Ronald Aicale - Class of 1965 , CS-21

Deceased on September 18, 2023 - Informed on January 7, 2025

Mr. Leonard Morris - Class of 1967 , CS-10

Deceased on December 20, 2024 - Informed on January 6, 2025

Visitation: 1800 until 2000 hours on 9 January 2025 at Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes, 639 North Main St., Greenville, SC 29601. Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 1830 hours. Funeral Mass: 1200 hours on 10 January 2025, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 111 Hampton Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Anthony Catholic School, 2536 Hoffmeyer Rd., Florence, SC 29501. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/leonard-morris-obituary?id=57128868

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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 in the spring.

A: As the Academy’s graduate population ages, Checkpoints has become increasingly stretched in accommodating the growing number of submitted memorial articles.
A: The new Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten publication honors 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.
A: 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 of $25 each. The digital version will be available at no cost 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 $25 here or by calling 719-472-0300. Proceeds help fund the program and offset the costs of providing a complimentary copy to families of fallen graduates, Air Training Officers, cadets and AOG Honorary Members. Orders for the inaugural issue will begin shipping and be available for pickup this spring.
A: See below:
A: Each memorial article is available as a commemorative keepsake for $15 each. Articles are printed on sturdy paper, suitable for framing, and come enclosed in a blue linen folder. Orders can be placed here or by calling 719-472-0300. Commemorative keepsake orders will ship or be available for pickup within two weeks of the order date.
A: See below:
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: One of the major benefits of transitioning to a dedicated, annual publication is that memorial articles can now be up to 800 words. In the 2026 Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten memorial publication — which will include deaths in 2025 — each article will be presented on its own full page.
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: See below:
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.

Gone But Not Forgotten