Thomas Gentry Jeter Jr.

December 11, 1938 – May 23, 2024

85 Years Old

Thomas Gentry Jeter, Jr., passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Known to many as “The General,” to his family he was Dad or Pop.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Gentry Jeter and Regina Walzel Jeter. Tom leaves behind his wife, Maureen Conlin Jeter, 4 sons, John Gentry Jeter (Kim) of San Diego, CA, James Edgar Jeter (Tami) of Overland Park, KS, Patrick Leonard Jeter (Sam) of Colorado Springs, CO, William Thomas Jeter (Amanda) of Colorado Springs, CO, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Tom enjoyed retirement with his partner-in-crime, Maureen, and gardening, eating out, hosting dinners and playing with his canine son, Babe.

General Jeter was born in 1938, in Refugio, Texas, where he graduated from Refugio High School in 1956. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas in 1961, a juris doctor degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1962, and then was admitted to law practice in Texas. He completed Air Command and Staff College in 1973 and the Air War College in 1977.

The general was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June 1962. He then was assigned as an assistant staff judge advocate at Wheelus Air Base, Libya, where he served as counsel for courts-martial and handled foreign claims. From October 1966 to April 1970 he was an assistant staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Force Communications Service, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., dealing with contract, tariff and tax matters.

He then transferred to Headquarters 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, where he served as chief of civil law and also as a “Circuit Judge,” presiding over courts-martials at all six Air Forces Bases in Vietnam. Returning to the United States in May 1971, General Jeter was assigned to the Department of Law, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., attaining the academic rank of associate professor. He was assigned in July 1976 to Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, where he became chief, Contract Support Division, dealing with cost accounting standards, foreign military sales and negotiations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for the Airborne Warning and Control System.

The general was assigned to Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in July 1979 as chief of the Opinions Division, and later as director of procurement law, responsible for both logistics contract support and the acquisition of aeronautical weapon systems. In August 1982 he returned to Air Force Systems Command headquarters as deputy staff judge advocate. From July 1985 to June 1986 General Jeter served as staff judge advocate, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He then became director of civil law, Office of the Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In February 1987, he became the staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. He supervised legal support of the command mission, involving research, development and acquisition of all major Air Force weapon systems.

He was promoted to brigadier general July 1, 1987, with same date of rank. He retired from the Air Force on June 30, 1990.

His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal. In 1984 he was selected for the Air Force Association's Stuart R. Reichart Award as outstanding senior attorney in the Air Force.

While attending the University of Texas, Tom met his wife, Sarah Maureen Conlin. The two were married in Austin, TX, in 1960 and were a model of a life well-spent together for 63 years. He was a member of Sacred Heart Parish, the Falcon Foundation and Pikes Peak Roundtable. His favorite charity was Fostering Hope in Colorado Springs, CO.

A memorial Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church on June 28, 2024, at 10am MST. A graveside service will be held this summer at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

Arrangements are by Swan-Law Funeral Directors, 501 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903. Online condolences may be made at www.dignitymemorial.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fostering Hope Foundation at www.fosteringhopefoundation.org