USAF Captain Patrick D. Spellman

Retired USAF Captain Patrick D. Spellman, 90, passed away Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at his home in Escondido. He resided in Fallbrook for two years prior to his move to Escondido in 2003.

He was born in Omaha, NE, on January 28, 1918. He attended Creighton Prep on scholarship and then at 17 joined the US Army with his friends.

In WWII, he was a crew chief in the 5th AF Division 90th bomb squadron 3rd attack group and saw several campaigns in the Pacific in 1945. The last was in Okinawa, where he was entrenched when the war ended.

He was commissioned as a USAF officer in 1947 and served in Europe and throughout the United States until his retirement from the military in 1958 to southern California.

In civilian life, he worked as an analyst in the Federal Civil Service for several years and as a business entrepreneur until late in life, earning an MBA along the way. His great love of people, pride in his family and enjoyment of golf, cars, books and politics were apparent throughout his life, up to his very last days. He was profoundly loved by all his family and by the men he served with in the military – “One of the best.”

He is preceded in death by Mary C. Spellman, his beloved wife of 58 years, who died in January 2006. He is survived by daughter Sharon Spellman, Nevada City, CA; son Michael Spellman and his wife Judy, Escondido, CA; daughter Patricia Casey and her husband Michael, Fallbrook, CA; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A military service will be held at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery on June 2 at 10 a.m., followed by interment there. Arrangements are being handled by Berry-Bell & Hall of Fallbrook.