Bruce Lash

Derby - Lash, Bruce A. age 81, retired U.S. Air Force and retired Federal employee, died April 4, 2019. Bruce was born Oct. 30,1937 in Venetia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John H. Lash and Lois (Brown) Lash. He was the second born of five children, all boys. The family moved to Akron, Ohio where they lived for 8 years before moving to a small farm outside of Deerfield, Ohio. Bruce graduated from Southeast High School in May of 1955. He joined the Air Force on his 18th birthday and spent 37 years of service to his country. He accumulated over 6000 hours flight time as an instructor In-flight refueler on KC-97 and KC-135 aircraft. He married Bonita McDaniel of Walton, Indiana in 1958 and they had three children before the marriage ended in 1979. His sons Kevin and Michael and daughter Dawn brought great joy into his life. His Air Force career gave him opportunities to experience wonderful new adventures including flying with the quiet heroes that helped win the air wars in WWII and Korea. He flew through the Aurora Borealis (very eerie), and over the North Pole (there's nothing there but snow). He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and was selected for the position of Youth Director at Offutt AFB, NE where he expanded a new base youth program, designed a new Youth Center and supervised a baseball program of over 90 teams. He also coached the Offutt AFB baseball team and the Bellevue, NE semi-pro baseball team. In 1975 he was accepted for the Youth Director position at Ramstein, AB, Germany and was promoted to Ramstein Recreation Director in 1977. Bruce lived in Germany for 9 years. He married Ute Weingartner on Oct. 1,1981. He took the position of Base Recreation Director at Homestead AFB, FL and served there for a total of 4 years. In 1989 he was promoted to Chief, MWR Division at McConnell AFB. The tornado of April 1991 destroyed many MWR facilities and he was instrumental in the initial design of the replacement facility now known as the Dole Center. Bruce retired in 1992 and he and Ute have enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and Europe, occasionally catching "hops" on military aircraft to interesting destinations. He was totally devoted to his wife Ute and was proud to have devoted his life to the defense of his country and to service with the Air Force. Survivors are his wife, Ute; sons, Kevin and Michael (Joy) of Sheridan, WY; daughter, Dawn Lash Abou-Nasr of Omaha, NE; grandchildren, Alexander Baker Lash, Hattim (Tim) Abou-Nasr, Danielle Lash, Adam Abou-Nasr, Andrea Abou-Nasr, Sofia Abou-Nasr (Matt Kennedy); step-grandchildren, Laura Matysiak, Robin Bäcker, Nico Bäcker; great-grandchildren, Coral Kennedy, Zelma Kennedy; brothers, Roger, David and Keith Lash.

Service with full Military Honors will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, May 3rd, 2019, at Winfield Veterans' Cemetery, Winfield, Kansas.