Vere Andrew "Andy" Hotchkiss, D'55, passed away on October 17, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Lifetime Member. Vere Andrew Hotchkiss, a resident at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington D.C. passed away on October 17, 2019.
Vere was born on May 27, 1937, in Orange County, California, the son of Vere and Ramona (Gilbert) Hotchkiss. His sister, Mona Lee, was born a year later. He joined the US Air Force from Boys Town, Nebraska. Upon going to Basic Training at Parks AFB, CA, his training flight was made up of seventy-five members of his senior class of Boys Town High School class of 1955. After basic training, Vere attended the Air Force Tech School and his first assignment was to Walker AFB, NM, where he went Sentry Dog Handler School at Fort Carson, CO. His dog’s name was Prince, and he became Vere’s big pet for the next four years at Walker. From there, Vere went to Earnest Harmon Air Base in Newfoundland, which he thought was the best kept secret in the Air Force due to his assignment and the semi-remote location. While Vere was stationed there, he got to go on a refueling mission around the North Pole and watch the refueling of B-52. That was an experience he has never forgotten. After being in Newfoundland for twenty months, where he had not seen a temperature above fifty degrees, the Air Force sent him to Eglin AFB in Florida in July. That first summer, the heat almost did him in!
Vere was born on May 27, 1937, in Orange County, California, the son of Vere and Ramona (Gilbert) Hotchkiss. His sister, Mona Lee, was born a year later. He joined the US Air Force from Boys Town, Nebraska. Upon going to Basic Training at Parks AFB, CA, his training flight was made up of seventy-five members of his senior class of Boys Town High School class of 1955. After basic training, Vere attended the Air Force Tech School and his first assignment was to Walker AFB, NM, where he went Sentry Dog Handler School at Fort Carson, CO. His dog’s name was Prince, and he became Vere’s big pet for the next four years at Walker. From there, Vere went to Earnest Harmon Air Base in Newfoundland, which he thought was the best kept secret in the Air Force due to his assignment and the semi-remote location. While Vere was stationed there, he got to go on a refueling mission around the North Pole and watch the refueling of B-52. That was an experience he has never forgotten. After being in Newfoundland for twenty months, where he had not seen a temperature above fifty degrees, the Air Force sent him to Eglin AFB in Florida in July. That first summer, the heat almost did him in!
While at Eglin, Vere met and married Karen Olson, the mother of his two daughters. He cross trained into the field of Manpower and Organization. This was a big change in Vere’s military career and when he left Eglin it was his last assignment to a base level organization. He was next assigned to HQ USAFE in Germany, HQ ADC at Ent AFB, Colorado, and his last assignment was at HQ AAC in Alaska. Vere spent five years in Anchorage, where he retired after twenty-two years and twenty four days.
Vere enjoyed fishing, a hobby he took up enthusiastically soon after being assigned to Alaska. He chased fish all over Southcentral Alaska. Deep Creek was one of his favorite fishing grounds, and he relished combat fishing on the Russian River. Vere passed on his love of the outdoors to Mona and Elizabeth, who grew up camping on weekends, and the family enjoyed all that Alaska had to offer. Vere, known to most of his friends as “Hotch,” was well-liked and sociable and enjoyed getting together with friends and coworkers for dinner and cards, pinochle being a favorite. Vere remarried in 1981, and he and his wife, Marlene, were active members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage, where they, along with Mona and Elizabeth, were regular attendees at church and the mid-week potlucks.
Vere enjoyed fishing, a hobby he took up enthusiastically soon after being assigned to Alaska. He chased fish all over Southcentral Alaska. Deep Creek was one of his favorite fishing grounds, and he relished combat fishing on the Russian River. Vere passed on his love of the outdoors to Mona and Elizabeth, who grew up camping on weekends, and the family enjoyed all that Alaska had to offer. Vere, known to most of his friends as “Hotch,” was well-liked and sociable and enjoyed getting together with friends and coworkers for dinner and cards, pinochle being a favorite. Vere remarried in 1981, and he and his wife, Marlene, were active members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage, where they, along with Mona and Elizabeth, were regular attendees at church and the mid-week potlucks.
After Vere retired from the Air Force, he stayed in Anchorage for an additional twelve years and started his second career in the insurance industry. He stayed in this career until 2001 and then retired and moved to San Diego, CA. He later went to the cultural capital of Kingman, AZ before moving to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington D.C. in 2014.
Vere is survived by daughter, Mona Hotchkiss (Ted Hart), of Corvallis, Oregon; daughter, Elizabeth Hotchkiss, of Portland, Oregon; granddaughter, Emma Hart, of Corvallis; and former spouse, Karen Bendler, of Anchorage, Alaska. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vere and Ramona, sister, Mona Lee, and wife, Marlene.
Vere is survived by daughter, Mona Hotchkiss (Ted Hart), of Corvallis, Oregon; daughter, Elizabeth Hotchkiss, of Portland, Oregon; granddaughter, Emma Hart, of Corvallis; and former spouse, Karen Bendler, of Anchorage, Alaska. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vere and Ramona, sister, Mona Lee, and wife, Marlene.
To honor Vere’s wishes, there will be no service. The family suggests that any memorial donations be made to the charity of your choice or to Boys Town in Boys Town, Nebraska, or the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at the Armed Forces Retirement Home and Capital Caring Health in Washington, D.C.