Alphonse E. DeWachter, 77, of Grant Road, a retired Navy commander, died Wednesday at his home.
He was born in Mishawaka, Ind., a son of Ernest and Dorothy Freepan DeWachter, and graduated from South Bend (Ind.) Central High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.
In July 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in San Diego.
In 1943, he transferred to the Navy to attend flight school. He was commissioned an ensign at Moffet Field, Calif., in December 1943. He flew blimps off the West Coast during World War II.
After the war he attended Columbia University.
On Jan. 20, 1945, he married the former Joan Zietler of South Bend.
Mr. DeWachter served in many areas of the country, including two tours at Brunswick Naval Air Station flying P2Vs. From 1961 to 1962, he was commanding officer of VP 26.
After 26 years of military service, he retired from the Navy in 1966 in Newport, R.I., where for three years he had served as an instructor at the Naval War College. His family then returned to Brunswick to live.
He was executive director of the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.
Mr. DeWachter was also a member of the Brunswick Rotary Club and was the first recipient of the Joshua Chamberlain Award in 1977.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years of Brunswick; one daughter, Mrs. James (Linda Ann) Brown of Windsor; two sons, James E. of Freeport and Robert T. of Saco; his mother of South Bend, Ind.; and one sister, Nancy Post of South Bend. (Portland Press Herald 12/9/1999)
He was born in Mishawaka, Ind., a son of Ernest and Dorothy Freepan DeWachter, and graduated from South Bend (Ind.) Central High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.
In July 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in San Diego.
In 1943, he transferred to the Navy to attend flight school. He was commissioned an ensign at Moffet Field, Calif., in December 1943. He flew blimps off the West Coast during World War II.
After the war he attended Columbia University.
On Jan. 20, 1945, he married the former Joan Zietler of South Bend.
Mr. DeWachter served in many areas of the country, including two tours at Brunswick Naval Air Station flying P2Vs. From 1961 to 1962, he was commanding officer of VP 26.
After 26 years of military service, he retired from the Navy in 1966 in Newport, R.I., where for three years he had served as an instructor at the Naval War College. His family then returned to Brunswick to live.
He was executive director of the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.
Mr. DeWachter was also a member of the Brunswick Rotary Club and was the first recipient of the Joshua Chamberlain Award in 1977.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years of Brunswick; one daughter, Mrs. James (Linda Ann) Brown of Windsor; two sons, James E. of Freeport and Robert T. of Saco; his mother of South Bend, Ind.; and one sister, Nancy Post of South Bend. (Portland Press Herald 12/9/1999)
Alphonse E. DeWachter, 77, of Grant Road, a retired Navy commander, died Wednesday at his home.
He was born in Mishawaka, Ind., a son of Ernest and Dorothy Freepan DeWachter, and graduated from South Bend (Ind.) Central High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.
In July 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in San Diego.
In 1943, he transferred to the Navy to attend flight school. He was commissioned an ensign at Moffet Field, Calif., in December 1943. He flew blimps off the West Coast during World War II.
After the war he attended Columbia University.
On Jan. 20, 1945, he married the former Joan Zietler of South Bend.
Mr. DeWachter served in many areas of the country, including two tours at Brunswick Naval Air Station flying P2Vs. From 1961 to 1962, he was commanding officer of VP 26.
After 26 years of military service, he retired from the Navy in 1966 in Newport, R.I., where for three years he had served as an instructor at the Naval War College. His family then returned to Brunswick to live.
He was executive director of the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.
Mr. DeWachter was also a member of the Brunswick Rotary Club and was the first recipient of the Joshua Chamberlain Award in 1977.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years of Brunswick; one daughter, Mrs. James (Linda Ann) Brown of Windsor; two sons, James E. of Freeport and Robert T. of Saco; his mother of South Bend, Ind.; and one sister, Nancy Post of South Bend. (Portland Press Herald 12/9/1999)
He was born in Mishawaka, Ind., a son of Ernest and Dorothy Freepan DeWachter, and graduated from South Bend (Ind.) Central High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.
In July 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in San Diego.
In 1943, he transferred to the Navy to attend flight school. He was commissioned an ensign at Moffet Field, Calif., in December 1943. He flew blimps off the West Coast during World War II.
After the war he attended Columbia University.
On Jan. 20, 1945, he married the former Joan Zietler of South Bend.
Mr. DeWachter served in many areas of the country, including two tours at Brunswick Naval Air Station flying P2Vs. From 1961 to 1962, he was commanding officer of VP 26.
After 26 years of military service, he retired from the Navy in 1966 in Newport, R.I., where for three years he had served as an instructor at the Naval War College. His family then returned to Brunswick to live.
He was executive director of the Brunswick Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.
Mr. DeWachter was also a member of the Brunswick Rotary Club and was the first recipient of the Joshua Chamberlain Award in 1977.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years of Brunswick; one daughter, Mrs. James (Linda Ann) Brown of Windsor; two sons, James E. of Freeport and Robert T. of Saco; his mother of South Bend, Ind.; and one sister, Nancy Post of South Bend. (Portland Press Herald 12/9/1999)
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