Bob Foss informed me of Davids passing and I have been in contact with Captain Dearolphs son David Jr. He provided me with his obit today.
Obituary: Captain David E. Dearolph
Captain David E. Dearolph of Oviedo, Florida peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his children, grandchildren and brother on July 2, 2015 — two days short of his 89th birthday. His life was one of complete dedication to the Navy, its officers, its sailors and the nation they defend. David was born in Foxburg, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1926 as the eldest child of Edwin James Dearolph and Florence Mae Dearolph (née Rupert) of Parker, Pennsylvania. He earned his baccalaureate degree from the University of Rochester in June of 1947 and was commissioned in the United States Navy where he ultimately served for more than 34 years, defending his country in peace and war. After designation as a naval aviator in 1950, and recently married to Patricia Jean Shirey of Butler, Pennsylvania, he completed his first of eight overseas deployments during the Korean Conflict, the Cold War and the Vietnam War. In the course of his military career, he accumulated more than 5,600 flight hours in nine different types of naval aircraft, spanning the gamut from seaplanes to the supersonic RA-5C Vigilante and earned three individual Air Medals for aerial combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. As he progressed in rank from Ensign to Captain, he was privileged to command Reconnaissance Attack Squadron Five aboard the USS America and latervar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} served as Operations Officer aboard the USS Forrestal. As a senior officer, he served in Washington, D.C. on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and later as the Navy Liaison Officer to the Federal Aviation Administration, where his service was recognized with the Legion of Merit, our country's second highest peacetime award. Dave left active duty in June 1978, and he and Patricia returned to central Florida where he was active in civic affairs and the leadership and music program of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford, Florida. During this period, Patricia andvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} Dave alternated their time between his Florida home and his family roots in Emlenton, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia and his sister Jean and is survived by his brother Edward A. Dearolph of College Park, Georgia, daughter Dianne E. Carman of Clifton, Virginia, sons David J. Dearolph of Lynchburg, Virginia, Douglas J. Dearolph of Augusta, Georgia, Daniel J. Dearolph of Oviedo, Florida, nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren. His life will be honored at a memorial service at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford, Florida on July 25 at 1:00 PM and internment will take place alongside his beloved bride at a future date in Parker, Pennsylvania. The family requests donations to the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford, Florida in lieu of flowers.
> Funeral service Holy Cross Episcopal Church Sanford, FL. 11:00 AM July 25, 2015
Burial August 15, 2015 at 1 PM at Parker Presbyterian church Parker Pennsylvania.
Gramkow Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
