Vernon Glenn Ash

Vernon Glenn Ash ("Glenn") passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of March 10, 2026, at the age of 85, after courageously living with Parkinson's disease for 15 years. He was surrounded by his loving wife, his children, and an extraordinary group of caregivers, especially Martial Jomas, whose compassion, kindness, and dedication meant so much to him and to the entire family.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Cindy; his three children, Glena Fields, Lisa Ash and her husband, Gary Glaser, and Gary Ash; and his beloved grandchildren, Sterling Stephens and his wife, Shana, Kaleb Fields, Sean Fields, and Ethan, Alex, and Madeline Ash. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Tanya and Robert Kelly; his nephews, Shannon Kelly and his wife, Tina, Brandon Kelly and his wife, Carmin, and Ben Espey and his wife, Angela; and his great-grandson, Kye Russell Stephens.

He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Ash, his mother, Wilma Ash, his sister, Rhonda Espey, his daughter-in-law, Mary Ash, and his nephew, Jake Espey.

Glenn was born on November 18, 1940, in Gorman, Texas, to Wilma and Arthur Ash. He was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 1958. He went on to attend Texas A&M University, where he proudly served in the Corps of Cadets and graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree in the Class of 1963. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force and immediately began pilot training in Lubbock, Texas.

In June of 1962, he married the love of his life, Sandra Jo Manning, known to most as Cindy. Their marriage spanned 63 devoted years and was the foundation of a life centered on faith, family, and service. Nearly two years after their marriage, they welcomed their first child, Glena, born at Reese Air Base in Lubbock, TX in April,1964.

Glenn served in the 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (aka, the Mad Bees) as an F-100 Super Sabre fighter pilot. He earned repeated recognition for exceptional flying skill early in his Air Force career (including the USAF Air Medal-1966), receiving top honors in pilot training and gunnery school before deploying to Vietnam, where he led combat missions with extraordinary courage. He fought in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968 and was stationed at Phan Rang Air Base. During his service, he distinguished himself through extraordinary heroism and courage under fire.

His heroism in 1967, including a daring close air support rescue near Bong Son that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross and a separate act of gallantry near Dai Ngai that earned him the Silver Star, was widely commended for saving numerous lives under intense enemy fire.

After returning stateside to Reese Air Base in Lubbock, TX, he continued to excel in his duties as a flight instructor. In 1968, he was named the Distinguished Junior Officer of the Year for his leadership, professional excellence, and contributions to Air Force training and community service. He trained student pilots and NASA astronauts (including NASA astronaut, Dr. Story Musgrave, and others) in the Air Force's T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainers, shaping the next generation of aviators and space explorers. Lubbock was also the birthplace of their second child, Lisa Ash in August 1968 and third child, Gary Ash, in April 1970, who were both born at Reese Air Force Base.

In the summer of 1970, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where Glenn began a career with Nasa before being lured to the commercial aviation business by Delta Air Lines. Over the next 30 years, he built a distinguished career as a Delta pilot, ultimately serving as a Captain. He also served as a flight instructor at Delta's Atlanta headquarters, mentoring and training fellow pilots. His professionalism, calm leadership, and passion for aviation defined his decades in the cockpit.

Glenn retired from Delta in 2000. Shortly thereafter, he and Cindy moved to Florida, where he spent the final years of his life in Fort Pierce and later Port St. Lucie. In retirement, he enjoyed time with his family and treasured friendships.

Glenn will be remembered as a decorated veteran, a dedicated aviator, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and a man of courage, integrity, and steady strength. His legacy lives on in the family he cherished and the many lives he influenced both in the military and in the skies above.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Glenn's family and friends at the Sandpiper Room (2601 SE Morningside Blvd, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952) on March 29, 2026 from 2pm to 4pm. Separately, a short Military Honors service will be held for him at the National Cemetery in Lake Worth, FL. (6501 FL-7, Wellington, FL 33449) on March 31, 2026 at 12:30pm. The service will last 20 minutes and attendees must arrive at 12:15pm. The service will be held at the outdoor committal shelter with limited seating and will not include a graveside internment. After the National Cemetery Service, a reception will be held at a location still to be determined.

Those wishing to come are welcome to attend either the Celebration of Life or the National Cemetery services/reception or both. Please let Lisa know via RSVP of your intentions at [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to donate can do so by contributing to Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org) organization which has done a lot to make people aware of the ill effects of agent orange and it's correlation with Parkinsons.