Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard J. Moken

Richard J. Moken, retired Lt. Col. (United States Air Force), went to be with the Lord after an eight-year battle with apocrine gland cancer. He leaves behind his wife of 49 years, Dr. Irene Bober-Moken, sons Christopher and James Moken and daughter-in-law, Michelle Gallogly; his twin sister and brother-in-law, Charlene and Anthony Savoca of Tucson, AZ; his brother and sister-in-law George and Carole Moken of Morristown, NJ. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Sophie Moken and his sister Carolyn Fletcher.

Rich was a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps during his college tenure, Rich was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USAF upon graduation. He earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.

Lt. Col. Moken served 23 years on active duty. During his first assignment as a navigator in the C-141 Starlifter at McGuire AFB, NJ, he was the sole crew survivor of a C-141 crash in Sondrestrom Air Base, Greenland. Rich returned to flying transitioning to the C-5 Galaxy in Dover AFB, Delaware, and was the navigator for the flight that that "dropped" 4 Sheridan tanks and 73 Army parachute troops: at that time, a world airdrop record. A Search and Rescue Coordinator for Central and South America, he was credited with saving 46 lives while stationed at Howard Air Base, Panama. Lt. Col. Moken completed his career in the Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Illinois, and transitioned to civilian life working at Randolph AFB, TX with Standard Evaluation.

Rich was active in several organizations: most recently the Order of Alhambra (Alamo Caravan 269) and the Knights of Columbus. Active in the Knights since 1993, he served as the Grand Knight at San Antonio's Holy Trinity Catholic Church Council 9967, District Deputy, and the Assistant to the Chair of Texas' Global Wheelchair Mission. Rich felt privileged to participate in the delivery of over 300 wheelchairs in trips to Selma, Alabama, Mexico City, and Guadalajara, Mexico.

A vigil service will take place on Monday January 20, 2025 at Sunset Funeral Home, 910 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio, Texas 78232, visitation will begin at 6 PM and a rosary service at 6:30 PM. He will be laid to rest at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery on Wednesday January 22, 2025 beginning promptly at 10:15 AM. Due to inclement weather, the funeral mass that was originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, 2025 has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 12:00 PM at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Rd, San Antonio, TX 78258. A repast will follow immediately after mass at the church's banquet hall. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Wheelchair Mission, 2600 E. Seltice Way #A172, Post Falls, ID 83854-7991 or online https://amwheelchair.org