Theodore Savard

Theodore R (Ted) Savard, Lieutenant Colonel USAF Retired:

  Theodore R (Ted) Savard (87), died on February 2, 2025.  

Visitation will be at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 6, 2025 at The Hamil Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene 79606 followed by the rosary at 5:00 p.m.

 Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 7, 2025 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 5410 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene 79606 The burial will follow at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery with military honors at 1:00 p.m.

  Ted was born in Hancock, MI, October 31st, 1937, to Theodore J Savard and Eloise A (Westerholm) Savard and spent his first years in Dollar Bay, MI where he was close to grandparents, and aunts and uncles. Ted’s father moved to the Detroit, MI area in 1941 to work in the World War II defense industry. Soon thereafter his mother, Ted, and two sisters moved to join his father, and the family settled in Melvindale, MI where Ted attended primary and secondary schools until graduation in January 1956. During his years at Melvindale High School, he was a member of the football and track team and was an avid hunter and aviation enthusiast. Ted attended the Michigan College of Mining and Technology (Michigan Tech) after graduation from High School. He majored in Mechanical Engineering and the United States Air Force (USAF), Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC) program.

 In December 1958 Ted received a class starting date for the USAF Aviation Cadet Flight Training program (Class 60-F) to become a USAF Officer and Pilot. He attended Preflight training at Lackland AFB, Texas, Bartow AFB, Florida where he flew the Cessna, T-37A (first class to fly the twin engine jet trainer), and Greenville AFB, Mississippi where he completed flying training and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on March 18, 1960. Upon commissioning he transferred to McConnell AFB, Kansas where he trained to fly the Boeing B-47 Bomber, and after six months of successful training was transferred to his first permanent base at McCoy AFB, Florida (current home of Orlando International Airport) where he was assigned to a flight crew and flew throughout the United States and several extended “Reflex” missions to Morocco where his crew maintained nuclear alert during the “Cold War”.

 While on home leave, Ted married Beatrice (Chorba) Savard on July 15, 1961 in Ferndale, Michigan. After a honeymoon that included Mackinac Island, Michigan, Ted and Bea traveled to New Hampshire to begin married life and spent the next several years in Dover, New Hampshire and Pease AFB raising their son Ted and daughter Jean.

 Military life took the family to exotic places such as Montgomery, Alabama; Lockbourne AFB, Columbus Ohio, where he flew the C-130A model aircraft throughout the USA, Central, and South America, Europe and the Middle East; Omaha, Nebraska; and Naha Air Base on the Island of Okinawa in the Western Pacific where Ted was assigned to the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing supporting the war operation in Vietnam. Ted flew the C-130A, as Crew Commander and Instructor Pilot, from Okinawa throughout the Western Pacific area including, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Korea. He and his family lived on Okinawa for three years from June 1968 until June 1971. Missions flown in the C-130 during those three years included 1,000 combat flying hours in the C-130A as forward air controller over Laos, and Vietnam, combat re-supply operations, replacement troop movements, and emergency air evacuation of wounded and troops killed in action.

  Upon returning to the USA, Ted was assigned to Nellis AFB, Nevada as the Wing Transportation Officer. Other assignments were to the 13th Air Force Headquarters in the Philippines in the Transportation Division, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois, and to Dyess AFB, Texas where he was Commander, 1st Mobile Aerial Port Squadron, and staff officer in the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing. Lt. Colonel Theodore R Savard retired from the USAF Nov 30, 1981.

 After retirement from the USAF, Ted served the community as a realtor and investment property owner and manager in Abilene, Texas for 25 years, He enjoyed growing vegetables, pecans and fruit on his small farm near Abilene, Texas. Traveling in the family motor home throughout the lower USA and Alaska was always an adventure!

 Post secondary schools attended: Michigan College of Mining and Technology (Michigan Tech). Graduate from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a bachelor’s degree. Graduate of Webster University in St. Louis, Mo, master’s degree in management. Additionally, Ted completed the USAF Squadron Officers School, the USAF Command and Staff College as well as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

 During active duty in the USAF he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal (Army), AF Longevity Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five bronze service stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Air Force Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Award.

 Ted was predeceased by his parents Theodore J Savard, mother Eloise A Savard, and sister Janet (Savard) Roley. He is survived by his wife of (63) years, Beatrice (Chorba) Savard, daughter Jean M Savard of San Diego, California, son Theodore E Savard and wife Rosemarie, grandson Ryan Savard his wife Alissa, and great grandchildren Hudson and Harper of the Schoolcraft, Michigan area, and sister Patricia (Savard) Gerstner.