(Retired), 69 DOVER - Lt. Col. Gerald Dennis Alborn, USAF, (Retired) passed away on Aug. 21, 2015, at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Del. He was born in Garner, Iowa on Dec. 3, 1945, son of Lorraine (Lugeanbeal) Alborn and the late Melvin L. Alborn. During his childhood his family lived in Iowa, Minnesota, and Alaska. He graduated from Laporte High School in Minnesota. He continued his education in Alaska and was the first student to graduate from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation he joined the U. S. Air Force. His career in the Air Force took him to many places. One of his favorite places was Guam. He was a veteran of multiple wars, having piloted the C-130 Hercules and C-5 Galaxy during his service years from 1969 to 1993 in both Active Duty and in the Reserves at Dover Air Force Base. In addition to his Air Force experiences, Jerry worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry for All American Engineering and as a space suit engineer in the Space Shuttle Department at ILC, Dover. Jerry was a member of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Dover for many years. He loved all his family members dearly and was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and son. He will be remembered for all the jokes he loved to tell and email to friends and family. Some of his hobbies included astronomy, flying radio controlled airplanes, and traveling. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lloyd and Hazel Alborn and Edward and Julia Lugeanbeal and nephew, Eric Brown. He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Ruth M. (Lewis) Alborn; daughter, Kristin Thompson and her husband, Daniel; son, Richard Alborn and his wife Rachel; grandchildren, Carter Thompson and Annelise Alborn; mother-in-law, Marie Lewis; brother, David Alborn and his wife Mary; sisters, Julie Terdan and her husband Dave; Lisa Sutherlin and her husband Mark; Dr. Lori Brown and her husband Ed; sister-in-law, Patricia Miller and her husband Rob and many nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, Aug. 28, 2015 at 11 a.m. at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, Del. with the Rev. Mark Walters officiating, where friends may call beginning at 10 a.m. Friends may also call at the funeral home on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Interment will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, 2015 at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro, Del. Memorial contributions may be made in Jerry's memory to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 425 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, Del. 19901. Please visit Jerry's Life Memorial webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.