Mike was born 3 January 1983 and is a 2003 graduate of the University of North Dakota with a BS in Aeronautics (Magna Cum Laude).  After serving as an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (PR) at NAS Lemoore (2003-2006) he was commissioned and earned his Naval Aviator wings, serving as an Instructor Pilot in T-6B Primary Flight, Whiting FL and as a C-2 Plane Commander and IP in San Diego, CA.  While continuing in the Naval Reserve, Mike was a Delta Airlines Captain, joining Delta in 2021, and a civilian instructor in the T-45 with CNATRA.
Mike was on military leave flying the T-45 at NAS Kingsville when he was killed in a head-on auto accident. He leaves behind a wife and two teenage daughters - both daughters were in the car with him, one was severely injured.

Terrence Mark Dudash, 74, unexpectedly passed away on August 29, 2024 in his country home in rural Wakefield, Virginia.  He was born in Gary, Indiana; the son of the late Frank William Dudash and Ethel Veronica Anduski Dudash.  His friends and family knew him as “Terry;” to his fellow aviators, he was “Dash.”  Since 1974, he called Virginia home; although some might argue that taking to the skies also made him feel at home.  
Terry retired as a Captain in the United States Navy after 24 years of military service where he had a distinguished career as a naval aviator centered on the Navy E-2 Hawkeye aircraft.  Of note, Terry commanded VAW-126, an E-2C squadron known as the “Seahawks,” during an extended wartime deployment in which he led the first E-2C-controlled airstrike for Desert Storm.  This tour of duty resulted in his receipt of numerous air medals, the meritorious achievement medal, and the bronze star.   Following his highly successful command tour, he was hand-selected to serve as the Mini Boss and Air Boss of the USS George Washington (CVN 73) where he trained 700 flight deck personnel in preparation for the ship’s commissioning and maiden deployment.  In 1996 Terry retired from active duty; although he continued to serve naval aviation for another 28 years as a highly respected Navy flight instructor.  
Ardent aviator. Steadfast neighbor.  Loving husband, father, and grandfather.  Dog Dad to Rambunctious Riley and Itty Bitty Dusty, who he affectionately called, “Little Boy.”   
Terry is survived by his wife of 52 years, Judy Ann Shea Dudash; daughter, Katherine Ann Dudash Durlach; son, Derrick Andrew Dudash; and grandchildren, Connor Durlach, Kaylin Durlach, Luke Dudash, Tyler Dudash, and Jack Dudash.
​
A memorial service will be held at Naval Station Norfolk; details will be posted soon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ivor Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 228, Ivor, VA 23866. (Source: Parr Funeral Home & Crematory)

CAPT Gary Alan Seffel,​ USN (Ret), 67, passed away on April 26, 2024. Born on May 5, 1956, to Melvin and Marcella (Voigt) Seffel, he was the youngest of four siblings. 
He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1978 via an NROTC scholarship and followed his two elder brothers and father into commissioned service.   It was also at A&M that he met his beloved wife of 44 years, Jane, a student-athlete who lived near the Corps dorms and caught his eye across the quad.  Gary and Jane married in New Braunfels in November 1979, while Gary was on a brief leave from Naval flight school in Pensacola, FL.
  Following training, he became a Naval Flight Officer, flying E-2Cs with the 'Bear Aces' of VAW 124.  His naval career took him and Jane first to Norfolk, VA, and later to Rochester, NY, where he taught ROTC at the University of Rochester while earning his MBA. In 1989, he moved to Montgomery Village, MD with Jane and their two daughters, Emily and Lauren. He continued his service with the Navy as a reservist, retiring as a Captain in 2008 after 30 years of service and three deployments. Alongside his Naval service, his career took him from Citibank to Northrop Grumman and eventually to the Transportation Security Agency and the National Security Council advising the White House.  

  A lover of travel and nature, he and Jane pursued adventures around the globe, including summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2010. In 2015, he combined these passions with his career, moving with Jane to Nairobi, Kenya, where he served for five years as the TSA Attaché for East Africa. After retiring in 2023, Gary was building his dream home in Fredericksburg TX, to share with Jane, his devoted canine companion Bolter, and their family.  
 
  He is survived by his wife of 44 years Jane; daughter and son-in-law Emily and Larry G. Jones III of Floresville TX; daughter and son-in-law Lauren Seffel and Peter Najda of Paris, France; grandchildren Sealy and Larry (LJ) Jones and Sidney Najda; as well as sister-in-law Beverly Seffel of Austin, TX; brother Gerald Seffel and wife Diana Hirras of San Antonio, TX; and sister Jennifer Graham and husband Lee of New Braunfels, TX. He will also be deeply missed by nephew John Seffel; niece Jessica Burtch-Hepburn and husband Ken Hepburn; nephew Chris Seffel; nephew Matthew Burtch and wife Lisa Burtch; and great-nieces Adelaide Burtch and Pippa Hepburn. He is preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Marcella Seffel and brother Joel Seffel. 
 
A funeral service was held on May 7, 2024, at First Protestant Church of New Braunfels with the Rev. Dr. Andrew Keuer officiating.  ​

Louis. A. Williams was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan on August 26, 1931. After high school in 1949, he attended Michigan State Normal College. Having an adventurous spirit, he moved to San Francisco to continue his college studies at San Francisco City College. However, with the outbreak of the Korean War, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy in September 1952. In March 1953 he entered flight training at the Naval School of Pre-Flight at Pensacola, Florida, and was commissioned an ensign and designated a Naval Aviator upon graduation in September 1954. He then reported for duty at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and was assigned to his first squadron, VS-39. There he flew anti-submarine aircraft over the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. During this time, deployments were made aboard the aircraft carriers USS TARAWA, USS LEYTE, USS ANTIETAM, and USS SIBONEY.

Subsequent tours of duty included being the first African-American flight instructor, an aircraft carrier combat information center officer, commanding officer of two airborne early warning squadrons (VAW 114 and RVAW-110), Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, Commander Training Atlantic Fleet, Commander Anti-Submarine Wings Pacific, and finally Deputy Commander-In-Chief of NATO forces surrounding Portugal and the Rock of Gibraltar.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California in 1975. After a tour of duty in Guam and the Pentagon, he was selected for the rank of Rear Admiral in February 1978.

RADM Williams' medals and decorations include the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal for service on Guam in support of the evacuation of refugees from Vietnam and for service following super-typhoon Pamela in May 1976. Stationed in San Diego as Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Wings, Pacific, he was responsible for the aviation logistics for the scientific efforts conducted on the continent of Antarctica.

RADM Williams' last tour of duty with the armed forces was a NATO posting outside of Lisbon, Portugal, as Deputy C1NCIBERLANT. Upon completion of this tour, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Portuguese government.

On March 31, 1985, RADM Williams retired from the Navy after 32-1/2 years of active duty and was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal for sustained superior service.

During the last 15 years in San Diego, RADM Williams enjoyed participating in numerous St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church activities and community service affairs. This included the Board of Directors of the National Senior Olympics, UCSD Epilepsy Center Associates, and the UCSD Chancellor's Associates.

Between serving his church and community, RADM Williams was able to develop and maintain a love of hiking. From Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevada, where for 10 years he celebrated his birthday, to the peaks of the Himalayas, he traveled far and wide to fulfill his hiking passion. This passion took him to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa only 18 months after having undergone major cancer surgery. However, San Diego's Mission Trails Park System's Cowles Mt. remained the bedrock of his hiking devotion. This devotion and commitment was recognized when RADM Williams' Cowles Mt. friends erected a trailhead bench in his honor with a nameplate that named him "The Admiral of Cowles Mt." Even throughout RADM Williams' valiant 4-1/2 year battle with cancer, he never lost his passion for hiking.

RADM Williams, predeceased by his son Kirk, is survived by his wife of 45 years, Faye, of San Diego, a son, Ivan, daughter-in-law, Erika, and two grandchildren, Teryn and Paige, of Foothill Ranch, California, in addition to his sisters, Ella Mae Robinson, Leona Washington, and Winfred Parker, and, brother, Harry Williams, all of Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Lou won the respect and devotion of his many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Admired, respected, and loved by so many. Lou will be greatly missed but always remembered.

(Notice and obituary provided by Bob Richards)

Lawrence E. Lyford died earlier this month at age 78 surrounded by his family. He was predeceased by his parents Bob and Ellen Lyford; his older sister, Lynne; and his grandson, Johnathan.He is survived by his wife, Florence; son, Joseph; daughters, Kristina and Joanna; and nine grandchildren. He is also survived by his seven brothers and sisters; Louise, Laura, Carole, Leo, Mary Rose, Chris, and Lisa and more than 30 nieces and nephews.

CDR Lawrence Lyford was born to Ellen and Robert Lyford in 1945. Growing up in Eugene, Oregon he was the second oldest of nine children. His family enjoyed a large community of friends and extended family in the Eugene area and were active members of St. Mary’s Catholic Parish and school. He was a competitive runner on the track team as well as a guard on the basketball team through high school. While attending school, he held various jobs working alongside his father as an electrician’s apprentice. Following high school, Lawrence graduated from college with a degree in Engineering.

During the Vietnam War Lawrence joined the US Navy. He attended Officer Candidate School and completed flight school where he received his wings and became a Navy pilot. Landing an aircraft on an aircraft carrier is considered the hardest task in aviation. During Lawrence’s service in the Navy, he completed hundreds of carrier landings both as a pilot and as a flight instructor. He received a number of Air Medals and Commendations during his Navy career.
While stationed in Texas, Lawrence met and later married Florence Miller. They began their life together as a family of four with her two children, Joseph and Kristina. Florence had been widowed when her first husband, LCDR Francis W. Miller, lost his life as an aviator on a Coast Guard rescue mission.  Lawrence and Florence had a daughter, Joanna, and moved closer to his family after he transitioned from full time active duty to the Naval Reserves.

After serving full time in the Navy, Lawrence had several careers. They included becoming a general contractor, owning and operating a window and door business, building residential homes, becoming a high school principal for a military style charter school, and finally working for the U.S. Department of Labor in the National Headquarters of the Job Corps program.  His favorite pastime was exploring this beautiful country while keeping up with his 3 children and 10 grandchildren’s events. In retirement, Lawrence and Florence found a community they treasured sharing life with at Smith Memorial Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA.

If one word could describe Lawrence it would be “friendly”. Lawrence recognized the intrinsic value of everyone he encountered in life. Lawrence cherished his family and his time with them.

Lawrence will be receiving a Military Honors burial at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date to be announced.
A Memorial Service was held for Lawrence at Smith Memorial Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA on Friday, January 26, 2024, at 11:00am.  
Originally published by Bucktrout Funeral Home

(Obituary published on Legacy.com by Poway Bernardo Mortuary - Poway on Jan. 23, 2024.)
Poway, CA – Dennis was born on February 26th, 1940, to William and Blanche Opal (nee Clark) Klapwyk in Missoula, MT where he was raised on the family's Cloverleaf Dairy Farm. He attended Missoula County Schools before enlisting in the US Navy in 1958.
Dennis served a 20-year career with the US Navy as an avionics technician and was mostly stationed in the San Diego area at NAS Miramar and NAS North Island. Dennis was deployed with the USS Kitty Hawk during three Vietnam combat tours and served with various other aircraft carriers during multiple training tours.
Following Dennis' naval retirement, he joined Northrup Grumman for a 20-year career working close with the US Navy as an avionics technician representative for the E-2 Hawkeye aircraft. His mastery and teaching of the E-2 Hawkeye weapon system and radar contributed greatly to the combat readiness of the aircraft and its crew for our country's defense.
  Upon retirement, he spent his time charting genealogy and challenging others in their trivia knowledge. He often regaled his family with stories of his military service and his years growing up on a dairy farm. Dennis' love of country was preceded only by his love for his family.
Dennis is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annette (nee Hassell) Klapwyk; his two daughters, Susan Klapwyk of McCalla, AL and Janet Crews of Poway, CA; his three grandchildren, Trista Browning, Blayne Browning and Tyler Crews; his three great-grandchildren, Carter, Emma and Bragen; his brother, William Klapwyk (Patsy) of Hamilton, MT; a host of extended family and friends that include cousins, nieces and nephews; and his best friend, Steve Ford. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Barbara (nee Klapwyk) Chilcote, and his brother, Elmer Edward Klapwyk.
  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to his favorite charity, The Gary Sinise Foundation, in memory of Dennis C. Klapwyk, Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Ret., U.S.N.
Military Honor Services will be held at 11:30 AM on March 1st, 2024, at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Noble Drive, San Diego, CA.

Stephen Edward Behringer, more commonly known as Behr, who lived a distinguished life marked by service, a commitment to others, and a love of his family, passed away peacefully on November 17, 2023. He leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a profound impact on those who were fortunate to know him.
Born on June 29,1950 to Norman and Hope (Smith) Behringer in Lafayette, Indiana, Behr grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and graduated from Saguaro High School in 1968. He continued his education at the United States Naval Academy, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering in 1972. He was selected for pilot training and earned his Wings of Gold in 1974, embarking on a career as an aviator in service to his country. Throughout his distinguished naval career, Behr served as a Commander and Instructor
in numerous aircraft, including the E-1B Tracer, referred to by those who flew it as the Willy Fudd, E-2C Hawkeye, T-44 Pegasus, and C-2 Greyhound. His dedication to duty, exceptional skills, and love of flying earned him the respect and admiration of his shipmates. In 1993, after over two decades of service, Behr retired from the Navy and also graduated with his Master of Business Administration. In his next career as a commercial airline pilot, he worked for Northwest Airlink, Reno Air, and American Airlines, where he retired after burning holes in the sky in the MD-80 in 2011. Behr’s service extended beyond his professional endeavors. He was a devoted volunteer, dedicating his time to Poway Kiwanis Club, Builders Club at Twin Peaks Middle School and Adult Education Auto Shop at Poway High School. He was a member of the Lake Anna Bohemians Club and Poway Beer Club. Family was most important to him. He is survived by Maren (Pfutzenreuter), his partner and wife of 46 years, his daughters Corinne Wells and Virginia Kruggel, son-in-law Matt Kruggel, four grandchildren (Jack Wells, Hank Wells, Behr Kruggel and Ruby Kruggel), three siblings (Nancy, Ken and Jim), and many friends that he considered family. A memorial service will be held at Poway Bernardo Mortuary on January 13, 2024 at 11am, followed by a celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Poway Kiwanis Club or Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego. 
His quick wit and quirky sense of humor were ever present. To him every day was a new adventure. His adventurous spirit, generous heart, and love of his family will be remembered as his enduring legacy. May he rest in peace, surrounded by the love of the countless lives he touched.

John Bradley Gregor, 72, of Wooster, passed away on Sunday, October 29, 2023 at the Wooster Community Hospital.
Born on January 31, 1951 in Steubenville, Ohio, he was the son of the late Paul and Helen (Lenkey) Gregor.
Brad graduated from Springfield High School in Amsterdam Ohio before going to the Naval Academy in Annapolis MD. Being a midshipman had been a life-long dream of his, who knew this was the career he wanted to follow since the 4th grade when he began to write his local Congressmen. His perseverance, dedication and hard work ensured his dream would become a reality. Graduating in 1973, Brad became an Aviator, flying E-2C Hawkeyes and eventually was the Commanding Officer of the VAW 113 Black Eagles. Many other positions followed including being a Carrier Navigator. His final tour was as the Defense and Naval Attaché in Madrid, Spain. After proudly serving for 30 years, he retired as a Captain in 2003.
Throughout his life, Brad enjoyed running his Lionel trains, creating an amazing stamp collection, playing golf, and watching the Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland sports teams. He loved to read and learn about many subjects. Brad was also a very active member of the Wooster Country Club.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Ann (Altman) Gregor; his son Ryan (Kelly) Gregor; and two brothers, Jim and Paul Gregor.
A Remembrance of Brad’s life will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Wooster Country Club 1251 Oak Hill Rd. Wooster, Ohio 44691.