Timothy Tschetter

Timothy Tschetter, Lt Col USAF, retired

Timothy Tschetter, Lt Col USAF, Ret. 76 of Pompano Beach, Fl, passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at Imperial Point Medical Center in Pompano Beach, FL. He passed peacefully surrounded by his family and his Pastor. Tim was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a member of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Tim was born in Pigeon Lake, Manitoba, Canada on October 4, 1932 to the late Paul R. & Rebecca Hofer Tschetter. He graduated from Farmer High School in Mitchell, SD in 1952 just prior to joining the Air Force. During his Air Force career, that spanned more than thirty years, Lt. Col. Tschetter was stationed in locations that included, Texas, Nevada, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Japan, South Korea, South Vietnam, Philippines and Panama. Lt. Col. Tschetter graduated from flying school, Class of 54-N and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1954 at Laughlin AFB, Texas and went on to fly the Armed T-33, F-86 Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger, and the F-100 Super Saber, which he flew on many missions over Vietnam. His heart was to fly fighter jets, but his career took him from flying combat missions over Southeast Asia on to other missions which included instructing other pilots and flying 'heavies' which included B-52's and C-141's. He flew these 'heavies' in support and participation in Global Airlifts to South America. He was a highly decorated pilot, receiving the Chinese Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and many other decorations. During his career in the Air Force, he graduated from the Squadron Officers School, the Air Command & Staff Course, the Air War College, the Industrial College of The Armed Forces, the University of Nebraska with a degree in Economics, and later received his Masters Degree in Business and Business Management from University of Michigan. In the later years of his military service Lt. Col. Tschetter was Squadron Commander at Charleston AFB, South Carolina. He was then stationed at Clark Air Base, Philippines with the 13th Air Force Operations, and in 1977 he was Director of PACAF Command Center at Hickam AFB, Honolulu, Hawaii. Lt. Col. Tschetter retired from the US Air Force in 1982. He then became an ROTC Instructor and Social Sciences teacher with the Broward County Schools. He retired from teaching in 2003.

Mr. Tschetter is survived by his wife of 52 years, LaQuita Hood Tschetter, of Pompano Beach, FL. They met while Timothy was stationed at Moody Field in Valdosta, GA in 1956. Also surviving are two daughters, Terrie Tschetter, of Atlanta, and Ericka Tschetter (Craig) Raines, of Clermont, FL; a son, Timothy Tschetter Jr. of Pompano Beach, FL; four grandchildren, Timothy Frank Tschetter, Tyler Wade Tschetter, Casey Nicole Raines, and Ashley Danielle Raines, all of Florida; three brothers, Mike Tschetter, Zeke Tschetter, John Tschetter; a half brother, Dave Wipf; two sisters, Maria Stahl, and Rebecca Maendel, of Minnesota and the Dakotas; and the family of the late Hie and Margaret Heronimus. Mr. Tschetter is preceded in death by two brothers Arnold Tschetter, and Zeke Tschetter and a half brother, Sam Tschetter.

Funeral services for Mr. Tschetter will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. The burial will follow and Military Honors rendered at Good Hope Baptist Church Cemetery in Naylor, GA. The family will receive friends at Carson McLane Funeral Home on Monday, August 24, 2009 from 5 until 7 pm. Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanefuneralservices.com. Donations may be made to Good Hope Cemetery Fund, Good Hope Circle, PO Box 6758, Naylor GA 31641. Carson McLane Funeral Home


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602