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 Robyn Hinchey - Class of 1999, CS-40

Deceased on September 16, 2024 - Informed on September 17, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1700 until 1900 hours on 19 September 2024, at the Victory Memorial Methodist Enrichment Center, 523 N Roosevelt St, Guymon, OK 73942. Memorial service: 1400 hours on 20 September 2024, at the Victory Memorial Methodist Church, 523 N Roosevelt St, Guymon, OK 73942. Burial with military honors will immediate follow at the Elmhurst Cemetery, E0220 Rd Guymon, OK 73942. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Air Force Academy Foundation in Robyn's honor, https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063 Obituary: https://www.bunchroberts.com/obituary/robyn-hinchey

Mr. Charles Jones - Class of 1995, CS-03

Deceased on September 2, 2024 - Informed on September 16, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Celebration of Life: 1000 hours on 12 September 2024, at Widerspah-Radomsky Chapel of the Chimes, 1900 East 19th St., Chyenee, WY 82001. Reception: 1100 - 1300 hours on 12 September 2024, at The Gathering Place, 1900 East 21st St., Cheyenne, WY 82001. Interment: 1100 hours on 13 September 2024, at Cheyenne National Cemetery, 8611 Hildreth Rd. Cheyenne, WY 82009. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Charlie's memorial fund with the American Heart Association https://ahatribute.funraise.org/fundraiser/charlie-jones Obituary: https://www.wrcfuneral.com/obituaries/Charles-Jones-226/#!/Obituary

Col (Ret) Ned Sanders

Deceased on September 4, 2024 - Informed on September 12, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1400 until 1600 hours on 22 September 2024 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 129 S. Houston Rd., Warner Robins GA 31088. Funeral service: 1600 hours on 22 September 2024 Trinity United Methodist Church, 129 S. Houston Rd., Warner Robins GA 31088. Final resting place: Magnolia Park Cemetery, 205 S Pleasant Hill Rd, Warner Robins, GA 31088. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/macon/name/ned-sanders-obituary?id=56284917

Col (Ret) Harrison Freer - Class of 1976, CS-27

Deceased on July 31, 2024 - Informed on September 11, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Mass Service: 1000 hours on 26 August 2024 at St. Mary's Church, 62 Warren St, Glens Falls, NY 12801. A celebration send off will follow in teh the Great Hall at Saint Mary's Church. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made in honor of Harrison to the Feeder Canal Alliance, https://feedercanal.org/ or St. Mary's Catholic Church, www.stmarysglensfalls.org.

Lt Col (Ret) Phillip Patterson - Class of 1963, CS-19

Deceased on September 7, 2024 - Informed on September 10, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1000 hours 13 September 2024 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749. Funeral service: 1100 hours on 13, September 2024 at 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749. A graveside service will immediately follow. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/austin-tx/phillip-patterson-11980840

Mr. Edward Morley - Class of 1976, CS-14

Deceased on August 1, 2024 - Informed on September 5, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Viewing: 1800 until 2000 hours on 9 August 2024 at the Healey Funeral Home, 9 White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ 08035, Military honors held at 2000 hours at the conclusion of the viewing. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/edward-morley-obituary?id=55756130

Mr. James Leslie - Class of 1974, CS-33

Deceased on January 8, 2024 - Informed on September 5, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Memorial Serivce: 1000 hours on 17 January 2024 at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Rd, Bridgeville, PA 15017. Obituary: https://obituaries.post-gazette.com/obituary/james-c-leslie-1089273497

Dr. Thomas Ruhsam - Class of 1974, CS-14

Deceased on March 19, 2023 - Informed on September 5, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. No further details are available at this time.

Maj (Ret) Sherman McAlpin - Class of 1974, CS-04

Deceased on April 30, 2022 - Informed on September 5, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service informaiton: 0900 hours on 19 September 2024 at the Arlington National Cemetery, 1 Memorial Ave., Arlington, VA 22211. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to a charity of choice honoring military veterans or an organ tansplant organization. Obituary: https://www.beallfuneral.com/obituaries/sherman-mcalpin

Mr. Thomas Bender - Class of 1974, CS-27

Deceased on October 5, 2014 - Informed on September 5, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Celebration of Life: 1800 hours on 10 October 2014 at Palms West Funeral Home, 110 Business Park Way, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33414. Memorial Mass: 1100 hours on 12 October 2014 at St. Therese De Lisieux, 11800 Lake Work Rd., Wellington, FL 33449. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to First Care Women's Clinic at https://firstcareforlife.com/ways-to-support/donate-now/.

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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