Ralph Dempsey Crago,(LtCol. Ret) 96, of Swansea, Illinois, born Saturday, September 15, 1923 in Chillicothe, Ohio, peacefully entered his heavenly home on Friday, July 3, 2020 at home in Swansea. He was the son of Arthur H. Crago and Carrie B. nee Dempsey of Chillicothe, Ohio. He had a long, happy marriage of 63 years to Edith Mae McKean from Warren, Ohio.

Ralph was a veteran of three wars, WWII, Korea, & Vietnam. He served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps and later in the United States Air Force. He remained in the Reserves after WWII and when called back to serve during Korea, he decided to become a career officer in the USAF. He spent his Air Force career in Air Weather Service serving at Shemya AFB, Alaska; Nashville & Knoxville Tennessee; Anderson AFB, Guam; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; USAFE headquarters, Wiesbaden, Germany; and Scott AFB, Illinois. While stationed on Guam, a major part of his job was to fly WB-50's into typhoons to gather weather data, many times flying home on a "wing and a prayer". He retired in 1968 as a Lieutenant Colonel. After his military career, he was employed as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the State of Missouri for 17 years.

Ralph was a graduate of Centralia High School in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was the last surviving graduate of the Class of 1941. He attended The Ohio State University for 3 1/2 years when he was called back to serve during Korea. He completed his Bachelors in Mathematics at Maryville College in Tennessee and later received a Masters in Guidance Counseling from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

He was a life-long Methodist and a member of Union United Methodist Church in Belleville, IL. He served alongside his wife as Sunday School superintendent and Youth group leader in multiple churches and was active on many Boards and committees within the church. He was a member of the American Legion, VFW, and Retired Officer's Association.

Ralph was a farm-boy at heart, an avid reader, rarely missed an Ohio State football game, and loved being with his family. Though very quiet in nature, even until his last days, he was quick to provide sage advice to his sister, children, and grandchildren. One of his Air Force ER's stated that "when Ralph speaks you better listen."

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his brother, Arthur Gene Crago. He is survived by his sister, June C. Ginther of Chillicothe, Ohio; his children: Carrie D. Crago of Swansea, Illinois, and Ralph D. (Jill) Crago, Jr. of Gilbert, Arizona; his grandchildren: Claire, William, Vincent, Emily, Libbi, and Shaelani Crago and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials,

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Union United Methodist Church - Music Ministry, or the Wounded Warrior Project. Visitation: Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, July 13, 2020 at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville, Illinois. Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, July 13, 2020 at Kurrus Funeral Home with Rev. Dennis D. Price officiating. Interment will be held at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio on Thursday, July 16, 2020.

You may sign his online register at www.warefh.com

Roger Seyfert, CMSgt USAF Ret. Passed away in November 2019. Obituary unavailable (date of birth unknown)

Bruce H. Brooks died unexpectedly on February 28, 2019, in Bellevue, Neb. He graduated from Weymouth High School in 1966 and served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. Bruce was the father of the late John C. Brooks and is survived by his granddaughter, Grace; and brothers, Peter and Philip, both of Weymouth, Mass.

Daniel B. Mitchell (Col. USAF Ret), age 97, died April 10th, 2018 at Givens Estates Health Center. He will be buried at the Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC with his wife (Wilma Hicks Mitchell), who preceded him in death, November 17, 2002. He is survived by a son, Gilbert Wayne Mitchell, daughter, Star Anna Mitchell, 4 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, 2 great grandchildren, 5 brothers, 3 sisters, 3 half-sisters, and 3 half-brothers.

He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1953 with a Master of Science degree in Physical Science. Col. Mitchell served 31 years in the US Air force as a pilot and a meteorologist. He flew 25 combat missions in a B-25H and 88 missions in a P-47D30 in WWII, served as Commander of the 1st Weather Group in Vietnam in 1969, and was Commander, Air Force Global Weather Central from 1970 until retiring in 1973.

After retiring from the USAF, he served with The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for 9 years and retired from the Federal Executive Service in 1982 as an Executive Level 4, Director of the National Climatic Center in Asheville, NC.

He served on the boards of the Asheville Buncombe County United Way, Daniel Boone Council, Boy Scouts of America, and Asheville Chapter of the American Red Cross. He was a member of the Asheville Rotary Club from 1976 and was President of the club in 1993.

He was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Asheville. His family and friends will always have fond memories of his joyful smile, warm spirit, and loving heart. A funeral service was held on Monday, April 16, 2018 at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, 962 Old US Hwy 70, Black Mountain, NC 28711.

Long time Alaskan David George Nelson, SMSgt, USAF(Ret.), 66, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, at home in Nikiski, Alaska, from COPD and heart failure. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Joy Lutheran Church in Eagle River, Alaska. Martin Eldred and Susan Halvor will officiate.

David was born on March 28, 1951, in Minneapolis, Minn. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Wayland Baptist University. He served for 26 years, beginning in 1971, in the U.S. Air Force as a weather forecaster and retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1997.

He then worked as a personal banker for 1st National Bank from 1997 until becoming a manager for Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union in 2004. He retired from banking in 2014.

David was a member of Joy Lutheran Church and enjoyed hunting, his grandkids, gardening, and grilling and smoking meat. His family wrote: "Dave's strong will, perseverance and dedication led him to succeed in life. He was extremely loyal and cared deeply for those fortunate enough to know him. He was analytical and intelligent. He was also slow to anger and loved to joke around. He was an awesome husband, father and friend, and we already miss him greatly."

Dave was preceded in death by parents, Ed and Martha Nelson; and a son, Erik Nelson. He is survived by his wife, Benita Nelson; daughter and son-in-law, Allana and Kris Kimbell; grandchildren, Levi, Lincoln, Logan and Lorelai Kimbell; sister and brother-in-law, Dianne and Al Johnson; nephews and spouses, Adam and Amy Johnson, Joe and Deb Johnson and Ben and Megan Johnson; sisters-in-law and spouses, Cheryl and Jeff Budisch and Angela and Pat Porter; brothers-in-law, Joe Fitzgerald and Mike and Sandy Fitzgerald; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Marlene and Don Fitzgerald; and nephews, Jay Kravits, Randall, Donnie and Kevin Maas, Ryan and Nick Porter and Shawn Fitzgerald. Memorial donations may be sent to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517. Published in Anchorage Daily News on Dec. 6, 2017.