Clarence Wesley Hough

Clarence (CW) Hough died May 21, 2024, in San Antonio, while undergoing a heart procedure. He is survived by his wife, Joy, whom he married six years ago. Joy and CW are residents of Blue Skies West, the Air Force Retirement Village. CW is preceded in death by his first wife, Janice Herring Hough. He is survived by his three children: Kelly Dobert of Queensbury, NY, Craig Hough (Alexandria) of Monument, CO, and Amy Risien (Cody) of San Marcos, TX and Joy’s children, Linda Withrow (Kent) of Carmel, IN, and Ricky de Laveaga (Laramie) of Los Angeles, CA. Their grandchildren include: Austin, Kacey, Cameron, Kali, Nick, Gabe, Jonah, Shane, Anwen, Mila, Ari, Kara, Kaley, Nicole, Savannah, Teresa and Luis. CW has seven great grandchildren.

He was born in Olustee, Oklahoma, on the centennial of the Fall of the Alamo, that would be March 6, 1936, for the non-historians. His parents quickly realized that they would be happier in Texas and moved to Dallas, Matador, Whiteflat, Sweetwater, and finally settled in Synder. CW graduated from Snyder High School, attended Texas Tech College, and entered the United States Air Force in March 1959. During the 20 years of Air Force life, he completed Air Force flight school as a distinguished graduate, completed both his undergraduate and masters degrees. His career included assignments to Lubbock, TX (Instructor Pilot), Tripoli, Libya, Wheelus Air Base (Plans Officer), various locations in Vietnam (Forward Air Controller), Hurlburt Field, FL (Forward Air Control Instructor Pilot), Eglin AFB, FL Headquarters Special Operations (Joint Training Branch), Andrews AFB, MD (White House Support), Charleston AFB, SC (Transport Pilot), Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Bellville, IL (Standardization). Aircraft flown included: T-33, T-37, T-38, C-54, F-100, O-1E, O-2A, T-39, CV-580, C-141. His many military decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 16 Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, and Vietnamese Bronze Star for Valor. Upon retiring from the military in 1979, CW began a second career in business aviation working for Jet Aviation out of Teterboro Airport, NJ. He served as Captain on both the Falcon 20 and Gulfstream 5 and Gulfstream 550 aircraft until becoming Director of Operations in 1983. He retired in 1999 and relocated to Austin, TX.

While living in Austin he gave up flying and thoroughly enjoyed golf with a memorable trip to Scotland in 2013. He loved watching football and baseball, having played both in high school and college. CW also enjoyed playing bridge and was responsible for re-introducing Duplicate Bridge to Blue Skies West.

Interment at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery will take place on June 4, 2024 at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life Ceremony from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Roadrunner Room at Blue Skies Air Force Village West 5100 John D Ryan Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78245.