Roderick Earl Himelberger
"Rod"
d 2005
Service
United States Air Force
Highest Rank
Lt Colonel
Years of Service
23
Combat
Yes
No Videos
Biography as of Sep 21, 2012
"In the beginning", God created Rod Himelberger...and I was lucky enough to be his wife for 42 wonderful years...
If "Wings" could talk...what would they say? "Fly High", my Rod; and soar he did! Pilot training was so grand, then off to MAC---"Old Shakey" land. Our son was born and so we say, Washington held SPECIAL days! C-141's was next in line, the state of Washington...divine! Might busy "My Guy" was---for Vietnam was "growing" then. Reading, writing and airplanes his world, as schools were needed for AT-33's & F-4C's. Off to Vietnam he went, flying O-2's his mission there. After Pleiku, we were California bound---a C-141 Instructor and a DEAR daughter were "found". Then a "new" MAC plane was born Altus, OK was where we were bound. That C-5 was BIG and Rod was "short" --- so "full rudder-up" seemed the call. After Altus, the East coast we saw, as the Armed Forces Staff College took care of us all. "Go West" --- and we did, Norton AFB, the IG; then back East to Dover in '76. The 3rd, the 9th, Wing Training, too, kept "My Guy" busy 'till his retirement in '86. Flight Safety's Assistant and Site Manager for the C-5 Simulator Training program next in line, 'till his retirement in '04 --- seemed sublime.
No doubt you've heard of the Rotary, the Daedalians, too,---each meant a lot to Rod, our church---you bet, so true. Golf was his game---all that summer he played, then a persistent cough---that "caught" us all. Lymphoma of the lungs---he put up a fight---not "good" from the start; then Heaven-bound was his last flight: August 1, 2005.
A dear friend said it better than I----"The pursuit of excellence pretty well describes the way that Rod lived his life. He took great pride in his achievements, his service to his country and his association with the Air Force Academy. Rod was a man of integrity who demonstrated professional and moral ethics through example. He demonstrated loyalty, dedication and commitment in all aspects of his life. Rod was truly a man that "lived by the Book".
Son, Brother, Dad, Grandad, Friend or Husband...he tops them all, my Hero...stout-hearted, loyal, honest and true...as a husband and father, we had the BEST !!!
The Rod Himelberger Family
Donna
Scott & Stacia --- Chase & Austin
Heidi & Rob --- Taylor, Bailey, Joey, Zach & Brady
If "Wings" could talk...what would they say? "Fly High", my Rod; and soar he did! Pilot training was so grand, then off to MAC---"Old Shakey" land. Our son was born and so we say, Washington held SPECIAL days! C-141's was next in line, the state of Washington...divine! Might busy "My Guy" was---for Vietnam was "growing" then. Reading, writing and airplanes his world, as schools were needed for AT-33's & F-4C's. Off to Vietnam he went, flying O-2's his mission there. After Pleiku, we were California bound---a C-141 Instructor and a DEAR daughter were "found". Then a "new" MAC plane was born Altus, OK was where we were bound. That C-5 was BIG and Rod was "short" --- so "full rudder-up" seemed the call. After Altus, the East coast we saw, as the Armed Forces Staff College took care of us all. "Go West" --- and we did, Norton AFB, the IG; then back East to Dover in '76. The 3rd, the 9th, Wing Training, too, kept "My Guy" busy 'till his retirement in '86. Flight Safety's Assistant and Site Manager for the C-5 Simulator Training program next in line, 'till his retirement in '04 --- seemed sublime.
No doubt you've heard of the Rotary, the Daedalians, too,---each meant a lot to Rod, our church---you bet, so true. Golf was his game---all that summer he played, then a persistent cough---that "caught" us all. Lymphoma of the lungs---he put up a fight---not "good" from the start; then Heaven-bound was his last flight: August 1, 2005.
A dear friend said it better than I----"The pursuit of excellence pretty well describes the way that Rod lived his life. He took great pride in his achievements, his service to his country and his association with the Air Force Academy. Rod was a man of integrity who demonstrated professional and moral ethics through example. He demonstrated loyalty, dedication and commitment in all aspects of his life. Rod was truly a man that "lived by the Book".
Son, Brother, Dad, Grandad, Friend or Husband...he tops them all, my Hero...stout-hearted, loyal, honest and true...as a husband and father, we had the BEST !!!
The Rod Himelberger Family
Donna
Scott & Stacia --- Chase & Austin
Heidi & Rob --- Taylor, Bailey, Joey, Zach & Brady