Great Falls Tribune
Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Laurel Statham, 73, of 1117 Adobe Dr., a decorated retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, died as the result of an automobile accident Saturday north of Cascade.
His funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hillcrest Lawn Chapel. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schnider Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Mary R. Statham of Great Falls; a daughter, Kim Gagnon and her husband, John, of Great Falls; sons Steven Statham and his wife, Julie, of Everett, Wash. and Mark Statham and his wife, Becci, of Duluth, Minn.; a sister, Vivian Hester of Stanford, Ky.; six grandchildren: Erin, Jill, Kelli, Kristen, Paul and Steven and two great-grandchildren: P.J. and Hailey.
He married Mary R. Gentry on Oct. 19, 1951, in Lexington, Ky., and later graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1953.
He entered the Air Force in 1953. He traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world. Just a few of his medals and citations he received are the Bronze Star medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, National Defense Service medal, Presidential Unit Citation twice, Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Vietnam Service Medal.
He moved to Great Falls in 1969 and was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base. He retired from the Air Force in June of 1980.
He was a charter member of the Order of Daedalians. He did a lot of community volunteer work, especially for St. Vincent DePaul.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Vincent DePaul Food Bank.
