Larry A. Predovich
Colonel, USAF, Ret.
1944 - 2020

“Oh! He has slipped the surly bonds of earth,
and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings”. 
(adapted from High Flight, J.G. Magee)

 Larry A. Predovich, Col. USAF, Retired, took his last flight on a Flight for Life helicopter on August 10, 2020.  He entered the “high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out his hand, and touched the face of God” on August 11, 2020.  He fought his battle with leukemia, as he did with all life’s challenges, with determination and valor,

He was born in Salida and was the third child of  Albert and Susie Predovich. He traveled the world but always considered himself a Salida boy.  He never forgot his roots.  He loved high school reunions where he loved to share stories with his old high school friends as they related play by play  football games from sixty years ago,  He remembered his family history and honored the family joys and struggles as local ranchers.  He did not want to let his Italian mother’s recipes die so he became an expert spegheti sauce maker and at Christmas he made  lupini beans and Italian wine cookies.  He brought home his Dad’s original sausage grinder and stuffer and made Italian sausage. He loved his Salida relatives and loved to share old memories of the family and the stories and laughter were abundant whenever they were together.

After graduating from Western State College in 1966 he joined the Air Force and was selected for Officers Training School.   He had a 26 year career and retired as a Colonel.  He was trained as a navigator in the refueling KC-135. He had several tours to Thailand to support the fighter and bomber missions in Vietnam and had over 5000 flying mission hours during that time.  He later was assigned to the RC-135 which flew reconnaissance missions all over the globe during the Cold War.  He served as operations officer in Recon squadrons and as the commander of Johnson Island  during a 14 month tour.  His was assigned  to be the base commander at Wurtsmuth AFB in Michigan. The year before he retired he directed the Air Force reconnaissance mission during Desert Storm.  He amassed numerous decorations and medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross,  Just as he remembered family and friend stories he also amassed hours of military stories to add to his repertoire. See data below.

During his active duty years he did have time to marry his college girl, Karen Bakken. He married into a large Bakken family and blended well with his entertaining stories and sometimes shocking candor. He was blessed with three sons, Lorin, Bryan, and Brock.  After retirement he finally got some girls, granddaughters, Keeley, Jasmine, Faith and great granddaughter, Kameron.   Also in retirement, he became a  “dog magnet” and his three dogs trained him to be at their beck and bark.

He retired from the military in 1991 and made a smooth transition from airplanes to John Deere tractors and from a base commander to a home commander.  He learned quickly that it was tougher to be a home commander as his troops would not fall into line.  Settling on a small acreage, he built a house and  then relived his boyhood ranching days by cutting and baling hay,  chasing cows, horses and goats. It often was a replay of the TV series “Green Acres” The experiences on the small ranch also became part of his storytelling library. He was delighted to spend his retirement years in Colorado where he was again with family and friends to go fishing, camping and mushroom hunting

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Lloyd and sister, Marie Petrini.  He leaves behind his wife of 51 years, sons, granddaughters and many cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews.  He will be remembered as a man of honor and integrity who loved to entertain with his stories and humor.  If we listen carefully we might hear his infectious laughter and love resounding from  the heavens.

Funeral services with military honors were on Tuesday, September 29th, 2020, at St Michael Catholic Church, Cañon City, Colorado, at 10:30. In lieu of flowers, donations toward a bench to honor veterans in the Poncha Springs/Salida Veterans Memorial will be appreciated.