Col. Stephen F. Ramsey – November 6, 2024

Col. Stephen F. Ramsey, former Air Force Academy Chief of Staff Dies

Colonel Stephen F. Ramsey, U.S.A.F. (Ret.) passed away on November 6, 2024 at his home in San Antonio, Texas.  Col. Ramsey retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1992 after 29 years of service.  He was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 1988 to 1992. 

Born at the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego, California on August 18, 1938, Steve was the son of Capt. Frederick Ramsey, head of the Marine detachment on the U.S.S. Houston, which was sunk by the Japanese in February, 1942.   Following his father’s death, Steve and his brother Michael were reared by their mother, Patricia McQuillan Ramsey, in his father’s hometown of Portland, Oregon.  Steve graduated from the University of Oregon in 1960 and earned a Master’s Degree from Ball State in Indiana in 1971.  He enlisted in the United States Air Force and was commissioned as an officer in 1963.  He began his service at the Seattle Air Defense Sector, 25^th Air Division, where he was part of the region’s combat “Tiger Team” before being assigned to Birkenfeld, West Germany where he was responsible for integrating all air defense radar inputs for central Europe.  After being re-assigned to Ramstein Air Force Base, he served as a member of the Allied Tactical Air Force Operational Readiness Team. 

He was next sent to Hon Tre, Republic of Viet Nam in 1968 ultimately joining the 505^th Tactical Control group in Saigon where he was the staff officer on ground environment and air route traffic control. 

After Viet Nam, he returned to Germany in 1969 where he served at both Sembach Air Force Base and Weisbaden Air Base as part of the Directorate of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

In 1973, he joined the faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy teaching in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department.  He returned to Germany in 1977 to become the commander at the 616^th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Wasserkuppe Air Station.  He became the base commander at Sembach in March, 1981, supporting the largest tactical wing in the Air Force with more than 10,000 people in 66 geographically separated locations. 

The following year he became the base commander at Camp New Amsterdam in Soesterberg, in the Netherlands.   He returned to the U.S. in 1984 to assume command of Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi where he was responsible for the maintenance training in avionics including navigation, airborne and satellite communications, electronic warfare and airborne radar.  In 1988, he returned to Europe to become Director of Inspections for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, before taking his final assignment as Chief of Staff at the Academy. 

During his military career, he earned many decorations including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal. 

Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1992, Steve and his first wife, Nancy Woolington, retired to San Antonio, where they opened The Bookrack, near Randolph Air Force Base.  Stephen and Nancy were married 38 years before she passed in 1997.  They had three children, Christine Sullivan of Portland, Oregon, Alison White of Garden Ridge, Texas and Michael G. Ramsey of Melbourne, Australia. 

Col. Ramsey was a loving husband and father, a proud grandfather, an avid golfer, an omnivorous reader and a passionate Oregon Ducks fan.  He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Sherry Sylvester Ramsey, his brother, Michael F. Ramsey of Bend, Oregon, his three children and their spouses, Brian Sullivan of Portland, Oregon, Col. Christopher E. White, U.S. Army (Ret.), Garden Ridge, Texas and Jennifer Ramsey, of Melbourne, Australia.  He leaves nine grandchildren – Ramsey, Eian and Reece Sullivan, Emily and Jack Ramsey and Dylan, Braeden, Logan and Riley White. 

Funeral and burial services will be held at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs on Friday, November 22^nd at 10AM MT.  A Celebration of Col. Ramsey’s life will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio on December 6 at 2PM.