Leon Kenneth Pfeiffer (Col., USAF, Ret.), 92, of Falls Church, VA, formerly of Arlington, VA, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at Kensington Falls Church Senior Living in Falls Church, Virginia.
Leon Pfeiffer was born, educated and raised in Scribner, Nebraska. After graduating from Scribner High School, he received degrees from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and his Masters from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and graduated from both the U.S. Army and U.S. Naval war colleges. He married Joyce M. Haubrich in 1952 at Carlsbad, New Mexico.
He served overseas in Korea, Taiwan, Italy and Thailand; traveled extensively throughout the Far East, Middle East, North Africa, Western & Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union. He had 18 different assignments to Air Force bases, Army forts, Naval facilities and Defense activities around the United States and Europe such as Bainbridge, GA, Chandler, AZ, Selma, AL, Bryan, Amherst, MA, four years in Washington in the early 1960’s at Andrews Air Force Base, Fort Leavenworth, KS, three years in Italy and Europe in the mid-1960’s, Newport, RI, and his final military assignment at the Pentagon in 1970. There also was a one-year interim tour in New York City.
Leon retired from the Air Force in 1981 as a Colonel and continued to work in the Office of the Secretary of Defense with the Reagan and Bush Administrations until he retired from the federal government with 41 ½ years of combined service in early 1993. He was a past Communications Intelligence Officer and Aide de Camp to two Commanding Generals, a former jet fighter pilot, instructor pilot and decorated Prisoner of War in North Korea and flew 68 combat missions in Vietnam. Acquired over 24 years of direct experience in European and NATO affairs and was on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He held many other high-ranking positions and had many significant contributions and accomplishments and distinguished awards throughout his military career and life.
During his military career with his wife by his side, they spent three months in Mexico, side trips to Canada, three years in Italy including two extended tours of the Middle East visiting Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece both before and after the Arab-Israeli War in 1967. He also traveled throughout Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Denmark, England, Scotland and Ireland.
Since 1970, Leon and Joyce resided in their home in Arlington, VA. They also spent time at their second home on Cape Cod during the summers and falls in Massachusetts.
They attended functions at the foreign embassies in Washington D.C. and attended affairs on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Nebraska Congressional Delegation and University of Nebraska Alumni Association. He was a member of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and enjoyed many events there.
He also participated in special meetings with the International Affairs Fellows and was elected as a permanent member to the Council on Foreign Relations in both Washington D.C. and New York. He continued to keep his interest in politics and kept current on domestic and international affairs the rest of his life.
His wife, Joyce, parents, William and Ona Pfeiffer, brothers, Duane Pfeiffer and Loran Pfeiffer, a niece, Carol Haubrich, nephews, Vernon Pfeiffer, Paul Haubrich and Brad Haubrich have preceded him in death. He is survived by many nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.
Services are planned for May 10, 2023 at 10:00 am in the Chapel at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 with burial in Arlington National Cemetery on May 11, 2023 at 9:00 am. Need to arrive at ANC 45 minutes prior. Murphy Funeral Home-Falls Church, VA is in charge of arrangements.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.murphyfuneralhomes.com for the Pfeiffer family.
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