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Obituary for Lt Colonel Victor O Dewey
LT COLONEL VICTOR DEWEY
Lt Colonel Victor Dewey (US Army-retired) died 29 April 2020 with his family at bedside after a 3 month battle with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Victor was born 23 Sept 1938 in Iola, KS to CPO Owen Wesley and Vivian Goodyear Dewey. Raised in south eastern Kansas on the family farm, Victor graduated from Gridley High School in Gridley, KS, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball, and served as his senior class president. He completed his undergraduate degree in Naval Engineering at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1962. At the USNA, he participated in intramural sports of handball, racquetball and cross-country. He completed his MBA studies at Troy State, University of Maryland, and Purdue University.
After graduation, he switched services to the Army and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He attended Engineer Officer training at Fort Belvoir and Airborne and Ranger training at Fort Benning. He was platoon leader in an engineer battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. As an officer of the US Army Corp of Engineers, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam, during the 2nd tour, commanded the 41st Port Construction Company at Long Binh, leading the largest engineering project during the Vietnam War- a bridge which was built to span the Mekong River at Phu Cuong during the “Tet” offensive. He served 3 years in Germany, and 13 years in Turkey with assignments to CENTO and as Chief Engineer at the NATO Headquarters at Izmir, Turkey while on active duty. He was awarded for meritorious service and achievement: 1965 Army Commendation (Service in Europe), 1968 Bronze Star (Vietnam), 1971 2nd Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster (Vietnam), and 1977 Joint Services Commendation (Service in Turkey).
After retirement from the Army, he served as the Facilities Director during the construction of the new King Fahd International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Returning to the United States, he competed certification with FEMA in Emergency Management and served his community in that role. He taught war strategy at the Army’s Command and General Staff College for 5 years, and worked for the last 10+ years teaching war strategy at the Battle Command level.
He leaves his wife, Barbara Berry of the home, daughter Melodi Dewey (Andy Schwarz) San Francisco Bay area, Roxana Hannah of Austin, TX, step-daughter Sarah Orton (Tom) Portland, OR, step-son Benjamin Berry (Andrea Acosta) Kansas City. Grandchildren, Natasha Trygg-Hannah of Austin, TX, Tristan Blackmore of Brooklyn, NY, Odessa Blackmore of New Orleans, LA, Dominique and Matthew Arencibia of Kansas City. His brother, Nicholas Dewey of Ft Scott, KS, his nephew, Warren Dewey of Basehor, KS, and niece, Fiona Dewey-Ellis of Parsons, KS.
Victor will be buried on Monday, May 4th, 2020. A memorial service for Colonel Dewey will be scheduled in September at Leavenworth National Cemetery. Donations in memory of Colonel Dewey may be made to the National Arbor Society.
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