Retired Air Force Colonel Ronald Leonard Morey, age 73, of O'Fallon, Ill., passed away December 13, 2017. Ron was born to Leonard and Jewel "Winn," nee Gideon, Morey on November 25th, 1944 in Wichita, Kans.

Ron graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado on June 8, 1966.  From there he attended navigator training at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., with a follow-on assignment to the C-130 squadron at CCK Air Base, Taiwan.  With over 4,000 hours of flight time, flying was his first love and he was lucky enough to fly his entire career.  His second love was his family, and he was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather.

Ron served in many command positions including being one of the first navigators to command a flying squadron – the 316 ^th based at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., as well as serving as Vice Base Commander at Yokota Air Base, Japan.  His final duty assignment was Operations Staff Director, Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in O'Fallon, Ill.  He retired June 30, 1996.  For 30 years,  Ron served his country with honor and distinction.

He is survived by his wife Ann, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF retired; son Brian (Jill, nee Corey) and their daughters Olivia and Delainey of Collinsville, Ill.; son Wade of O'Fallon, Ill. and St. Louis, Mo.; sister Lynette (Wade) Green, brother Kevin (Sharon) Morey, brother Kent Morey; brothers- and sisters-in-law Marie Braidwood, Helen (Randy) Armstrong, Larry (Sandy) Doherty, Allen (Brindy) Doherty, Jim (Suzanne) Doherty, Dennis Doherty; and numerous in-laws, nephews, and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Winn Morey of Wichita, Kans. and his in-laws Lawrence and Margaret Doherty of Brown City, Mich.

Memorial donations may be made to the United States Air Force Endowment Fund, 3116 Academy Dr., Suite 200, USAF Academy, CO 80840 or Schuetz Manor Dolan House Memory Care, PO Box 4082, Chesterfield, MO 63006.

Memorial Service: 3 p.m., Monday, December 18, 2017 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O'Fallon, Ill.