Colonel Clyde R. Magill, Jr., USAF Retired.

Colonel Clyde Roy Magill, Jr. passed into eternity at home while asleep on August 29, 2025, 90 years young.  Born to Clyde Roy Magill, Sr. and Mildred Magill in Hendrickson, MO.  The family moved to Cheyenne, WY where Clyde attended elementary through high school. While home sick from high school, Clyde built a working model of a 14^th century Shakespearian theater which the school continues to use. He started his military career in ROTC starting in the 10^th grade.  He had a “can do” upbringing by learning about tools at a young age from his father.  He learned carpentry and construction from the age of 13 as an apprentice to his dad’s friend and laid the wood floor of the gym in Medicine Bow, Wyoming, and helped build houses in Cheyenne.  He got an old car at 15, made it work, drove the gang around town, and was inspired to do crazy things like installing telephones (in the 1950’s) to communicate with each other in the car.  After high school, he worked at the railroad in Cheyenne, scheduling engineers.  He didn’t think he would be able to go to college, but after sitting out for a semester, he saw his friends getting through university classes, so he decided he could do that too, though his family was poor and could not afford it.  He worked full time at the railroad in Cheyenne and shuttled back and forth to Laramie to attend classes at the University of Wyoming, where he joined a fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, for cheap rent and eventually lived in Laramie.  He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, though he started out as a Civil Engineering major, on the advice of his Air Force recruiter.  He was in ROTC and got his pilot’s license and would “buzz” his family home in Cheyenne, and even took his Dad flying, which included a scary wind shear event at the runway.  He landed them in one drop and survived.  He went to Officer Training School after college and passed his pilot training in the first outing. He continued in the US Air Force as a pilot and commissioned officer in 1958, stationed at Mather AFB, where he met his loving wife, Bernadine and they had one daughter, Carlene, then moved to Laramie, Wyoming where he earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Wyoming.  He was stationed at Cape Canaveral, Florida from 1963 – 1965 and had two more children Cara and Clyde III.  He was part of building the launch complex as the Instrumentation Engineer and worked the Titan IIIA and IIIc launches, while flying his missions as a pilot. He was one of the go/no go decisions for launch and launch commander on 29 launches.  When important dignitaries came to Cape Canaveral, he was the one they asked to give tours, as he had a keen memory for details and was an entertaining storyteller.  In 1965, he was called to serve in the Vietnam War, as a forward air controller, “Bird Dog” and returned home in 1966.  He had many close calls, and in his later years while telling his stories, he said that throughout his military flying, but especially in Vietnam, Jesus was his co-pilot. There were many flights and missions that he should not have survived, except by divine guidance.  He didn’t start talking about Vietnam to his family until he was in his 80’s.  It was surprising to his children how blessed we were to have him return home.  He was flying missions in Ashau Valley for 10 days when the Viet Cong were taking over the runway.  In inclement weather on one of those days, the runway was not visible, but he found a hole in the clouds and directed helicopters to follow him so they could rescue the US troops and friendlies before it was overtaken.  He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and many medals for his service in Vietnam.  After Vietnam, he was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, where his daughter Cynthia was born. He had a tour of duty in Los Angeles, CA at Space Division, a second tour at Vandenberg AFB leading a satellite program of which he was most proud, then back to Space Division, as the program manager of DSP, another satellite program.  He retired as a Colonel after 27 years in the Air Force.  He continued to work in Aerospace at Hughes Aircraft Company as a Level 3 manager. Clyde was blessed to have 25 loving and supportive years with Bernadine and was heartbroken when she passed. He remarried Darlene and was blessed with 23 years of marriage until she passed. His family produced 7 grandchildren whom he loved and cared for deeply.  He leaves behind his 4 children, one brother whom he loved all his life, his dear Aunt who is only 3 months older, sister-in-laws, son-in-laws, daughter-in law, nieces and nephews, and dear friends, caregivers, doctors and nurses he loved.  Clyde was preceded in death by first wife Bernadine, his brothers-in laws, mother-in law, his parents, sister Glenda, sister-in-laws, second wife Darlene, sister Sharon, nephews, niece, and granddaughter Brooke.  Funeral is set for 11:30am on Sept 12, 2025, at Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane, Washington, followed by military honors at 1:30 pm at the VA Cemetery in Medical Lake, Washington.