Joffre “Jeff” Patrick Tremblay

WASHINGTON – Joffre “Jeff” Patrick Tremblay, the son of Augustine and Lizzie Tremblay, passed away at his home in Stanwood, Wash., on Oct. 13, 2019, with family by his side. Born in Coventry, Vt., on Oct. 20, 1925, he was the eleventh of 13 children. The family moved to Biddeford, Maine, in 1932. Jeff was always searching for knowledge. At the age of 15, Jeff entered the Sacred Heart Brothersnovitiate program in Arthabaska, Quebec, to teach within the religious order. At the seminary in Canada he completed four years of high school and three years of college in just four years. When he decided to leave the Brothers, he had three certifications for different levels of teaching and went on to teach in Richland, Quebec, Lewiston, Maine, and Winthrop, Maine.

In 1949, Jeff enlisted in the Air Force and after basic training and officers school he signed up for pilot school where he became a navigator. His career first brought him to Korea where he flew 80 combat missions in four months. He moved on to be a global transport navigator and “flew” the world. He had tours of duty in Ramstein, Germany, and Druek, France. He returned to the United States to become chief engineer at the Titan II missile site at Little Rock, Arkansas. He spent two years in Panama as the staff planning officer for contingency planning and flew many missions to South American countries. He then was stationed at the Air Force Logistics Command Headquarter’s in Dayton, Ohio, where he became chief of navigation. When the Vietnam War escalated, he married his wife, Marjorie, before he went on a tour of duty covering Okinawa, Vietnam and Thailand as a combat navigator.

Jeff retired from the Air Force as a colonel after 20 years. He moved 45 times and was awarded 15 medals including the Air Force distinguished Flying Cross several times and many commendation medals. He flew more than 480 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam and traveled to at least 64 countries. He received his master’s in education degree at Wright State University and took credits in math, electronics, German, Spanish and economics at universities around the world while in the service. After the service, he and his family moved to Arlington, Washington, where he became a counselor at Arlington High School for 15 years. He and his wife Marjorie then became independent financial planners and investment advisors for many years in Stanwood, Wash.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; a stepson, John Sabee; two stepdaughters, Ann Schille and Kris Macaurn; six grandchildren; a brother, Laurier Tremblay of Sanford, Maine, and many nieces and nephews. His funeral was handled by Sacred Moment Funeral Services, Inc. in Everett, Wash., and is to be buried at Tahoma National Cemetery, in Seattle, Wash, at a date to be determined. The family would like to especially thank the hospice staff and volunteers for their help and support.

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