Edward Joseph Oppenheimer

Edward Joseph Oppenheimer, age 83, passed away in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 with his family by his side. He was born May 2, 1939, in Corning, New York to Mary Helen Maher and William Alonzo Oppenheimer. He became a transplanted Texan after he joined the USAF in 1957.

He was stationed in San Antonio three different times and early on in his career, he knew he wanted to spend his retirement years in the city.

He graduated from William S. Hart High School Newhall, California where he served as Student Body President in his Senior year. He traveled to San Antonio, TX by train with $5.00 in his pocket to begin his Air Force career by entering training as an aircraft mechanic. Ed was stationed at Harlingen AFB, TX for almost two years. Ed applied for the Aviation Cadet Program in 1959 for the USAF officer/pilot training program graduating in the top ten of his class, 61-Echo. This class was the next to last class of the successful Aviation Cadet Program. Ed accumulated over 6,500 flying hours in several airplanes. In the USAF Strategic Air Command, he flew the KC-97 and KC-135. Ed served in 1968-1969 in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller, in the 0-1 Birddog, 0-2 Skymaster and in the OV-10 in which he was also a combat tactics instructor. Ed and his family lived in England where he was Field Maintenance Squadron Commander at RAF Alconbury. While in the Air Force, Ed attended Squadron Officer School where his class (65 B) received the Chief of Staff Award. He also became a member of Order of the Daedalians at Beale Air Force Base, California. Following his retirement from the Air Force, Ed received his airline transport pilot certification in the Boeing 707 and flew with Korean Air. Returning to the United States, he became a flight instructor with Flight Safety International-Wichita, KS in the Cessna Citation and was certified in the Citation-500, 650, and 525. One business aviation client called Ed Oppenheimer the “Chuck Yaeger” of Cessna Citations. While at Flight Safety for thirty years, he was certified as a FAA Designated Examiner and he became a charter member of the Daedalians Air Capital Flight in Wichita, KS. When Ed retired from Flight Safety International-San Antonio in 2010, he qualified for the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award because he had combined experience in civil and military aviation for over 50 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Claude Akins; and son in law, Tony J. Barraza. Edward is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ann Carlton Oppenheimer; daughters, Anita “Kit” Thompson (Lance), Anjanette “Anjie” Webster (Carl), and Quinn Barraza; grandchildren Ashley, Tyler, Brock, and Bryant Jacobs, Kurt and Kyle Thompson, Marcus and Vercin Barraza, Cody and Carina Webster; great-grandchildren, Delaney and Garridan Miller, Joscelyn Ellis, and Anabelle Webster-Nering; siblings, Catherine Barrett, and Joe and Jonathan Oppenheimer; as well as numerous extended family members and a lifetime of friends.

The family will receive friends at Porter Loring Mortuary North on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM.

FUNERAL SERVICEWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 202210:30 A.M.PORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to the American Lung Association.

To view a livestream of Ed's services, please click here.