Colonel Richard P. Guest Jr., USAF (Ret.), of Centerville, OH, passed away on 20 November 2008 at Hospice of Dayton. He was 75 years old. A native of Abington, PA, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force upon graduating from the Naval Academy, where he was a member of the football team that played in and won the Sugar Bowl.

He served as an alert crew launch officer and director of the standardization launch crew in Germany from 1959 to 1962. In 1963, he was accepted by the Air Force Institute of Technology and attended Arizona State University, graduating with a master’s degree in industrial engineering in 1965. In 1971, he went to the Pentagon, where he served in the Maverick Missile Program in the R&D Headquarters. Returning to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, in 1975, he became the program director of the F-4G Wild Weasel program. He was the Deputy for International Programs in the F-16 System Program Office. During this assignment, he participated in an evaluation of the space shuttle program. He served in the Air Force for 26 years, retiring at the rank of colonel.

He was a long time fan of the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles and loved NASCAR racing, especially Dale Earnhardt .He was affectionately called the “Dickster” by family and many friends. He remained always a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Judith Guest; son, Richard Guest III ’83; daughters, Deborah Guest, Amy Fry and Lori Behm; five grandchildren; and a sister, Sally Bennett.A memorial service was held on 25 November 2008 in Dayton, OH, followed by interment with full military honors at Miami Valley Memory Garden. The Guest Family