Col. Francis L. Asbury USAF Ret.

Col. Francis L. Asbury (USAF Retired), age 89, went to be with his Lord and Savior on January19, 2022. Francis was born and grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas. He and his wife Wanda weremarried for 66 years and had 4 children, Danny (Martina), Cindy, Tammy (Mark), and Marcy. Thelast two years he loved to face time with his kids on a regular basis! Not only did it bring him alot of pleasure, but it was also a joy to all of his kids. He also had six grandchildren, BethanyBeethe Warren(Christopher), Katarina Asbury Hall(Wyatt), Melissa Walton, MichaelWalton (Taylor), and Alexander Ciaburri, along with 6 great-grandchildren (Griffin, Knox, GracenRose, and Walker Warren, Maeve Walton and Clara Hall).

The colonel’s military career started in 1954 following his graduation from KState University. Hewas commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. After commissioning,he attended pilot training at Bryan AFB, Texas where he remained as an instructor pilot until1957.

Other assignments included Craig AFB, Alabama, Ellsworth AFB. SD, Vandenberg AFB,California, Griffiss AFB, NY., Kincheloe AFB, Michigan. Col. Asbury also had one tour of duty inVietnam and had 64 combat missions in B-52s. He had over 5,500 hours of flying time as acommand pilot. He was an Air Staff Action Officer at the Pentagon. He attended the Air WarCollege at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and received a Master’s Degree in Business Administrationfrom Auburn University. He finished up his career in the Air Force as the Base Commander atBarksdale AFB, LA, and then as Wing Commander at Carswell AFB, Tx.

He spent his next ten years with General Dynamics where he was the Corporate MarketingManager in Seoul, Korea. Next, he was the manager for the European Region, based inBelgium, before he retired in Destin, Florida.

Francis Asbury, at the age of 79, came to the point in his life that he accepted Jesus Christ ashis Savior. What a day of rejoicing that was!

Fran was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Wanda, also his parents Arthur and EdnaAsbury, his sister Janice Calvacca and his grandson Byron Beethe.The family wants to thank Blue Skies of West Texas, Freedom House, for the wonderful loveand care shown to their dad during his last years.