David Francis Jaquish

David F. Jaquish of Keller, Texas was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to John J. and Mabel E. Jaquish on August 6, 1936. The youngest of eight children, David was full of spunk, a bit of mischief, and contagious zeal.

That energy served him well even as his high school counselor advised him to “stay close to home on Putnam Street in Tunkhannock and pursue life as a farmhand.” Bucking that counsel, “Dave” went on to be Offensive Center and Defensive Back of the undefeated Tunkhannock High School Tigers football team in 1954 and attend Penn State University main campus where he met the love his life, Alma “Jane” Kennedy of Mars, Pennsylvania, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Education, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant through Air Force ROTC in 1958.

Dave and Jane married two weeks after graduation and moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania where Dave served six months as an Assistant County Agent before reporting for pilot training at Bainbridge Air Base, Georgia. Earning his silver wings in 1959 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Dave and Jane experienced more than 20 moves in his “21 year, 7 month” Air Force career, adding three children along the way.

Dave, a.k.a. “Jake”, logged more than 4,400 flying hours in fighter aircraft to include the F 100, F 4 and A 7D, sat nuclear alert in southern Europe, graduated from the F 100 Fighter Weapons School as Outstanding Pilot in Academic Phase in 1967, and flew 190 combat missions over South Vietnam in the F 4, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1969. Following the war, Dave was voted “Most Outstanding Instructor Pilot” in the F-4 schoolhouse at George Air Force Base, California and went on to serve as a fighter requirements action officer in Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Assigned to three tours in Europe, Dave attended Senior Service School at Royal Air Force Cranwell in the UK and went on to conceptualize, develop and inaugurate the syllabus, seminar courses, and sorties for the Allied Air Forces Central Europe ‘TLP’ Tactical Leadership Programme. To this day, TLP is NATO’s elite “Top Gun” air exercise.

Following his military retirement in 1980 as a Lieutenant Colonel, Dave and Jane moved back to their beloved Pennsylvania where he made a second career as the Air Force Junior ROTC Aerospace Education Instructor at Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania and Coatesville Area Senior High School ‘CASH’ in Coatesville, Pennsylvania until fully retiring in 2000. His joy in teaching high school students and desire to maximize their learning led him to arrange field trips to Washington DC and several military bases. He also sponsored after-school clubs for rocketry, model airplane building, and Bible Study. The CASH AFJROTC program was famous for its elegant annual Winter Ball, where Dave and Jane graced the event as a ‘couple extraordinaire’! Like his father, Dave was an avid gardener in his retirement and loved traveling the world with Jane and all willing grandchildren to visit their extended family.

Dave’s drive for excellence was a supreme model for his three children, 16 grandchildren, and expected 10 great-grandchildren! Daughter Susan and her husband Gerry Knowles (Lt Col, USMC-Retired) of Keller, Texas have three children. Son Derek (Lt Col, USAF-Retired) and his wife Terri of Fairfax Station, Virginia have four children. Son Douglas (Col, USAF-Retired) and his wife Deborah of Bellbrook, Ohio have nine children.

Following the legacy of their grandfather, seven of the 16 grandchildren are now serving or preparing to serve in the Air Force. All who knew Dave experienced his great love for country, liberty, and flying jets. Most importantly, they know he wholeheartedly loved God, embraced his family above his career, and desired all to live closer to the Lord Jesus Christ in their life pursuits. Throughout the years, Dave—Dad, Grandpa J—would include favorite Bible verses such as Proverbs 3:5,6 and 2 Timothy 1:7 in the countless letters and cards he and Jane sent to family and loved ones, encouraging them to follow God’s path for their lives and always face fear in God’s strength.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers John, George, Orin, and Bill, and his sisters Elaine and Cynthia. He is survived by his amazing wife, Jane, of more than 63 years, their soon-to-be 29 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and his sister Charlotte, and will be fondly remembered by all the extended family, including his many nieces and nephews across the country.

Services will be held at Keller Old Town Funeral Home, 220 Keller Parkway, Keller, Texas. Visitation is January 10, 2022 from 4-6 p.m. The Memorial Service is Tuesday, January 11, 2022, 10:30-11:15 a.m. and will be officiated by Chaplain Bruce Ruiz who spent many precious hours ministering to Dave and his attending and visiting family in his final months at home. Hospice pastor Kristin Klade will grace the ceremony with her singing. David F. Jaquish will be buried with military honors at the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to any of the following:

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (billygraham.org)

Cadence International (cadence.org)

Samaritan’s Purse (samritanspurse.org)