Austin Ayotte
October 29, 1921 — March 23, 2016
North Austin Location
Colonel Austin C. Ayotte (USAF, Retired), 94, of Austin, Texas, passed away on March 23, 2016 after a long battle with cancer. He was born October 29, 1921 in Twin Falls, Idaho, and raised in Oregon.
He served 32 years on active and reserve duty with the Army Air Corp/United States Air Force. He entered the Army Air Corp in 1942 and retired from the US Air Force in 1974. He served in the Pacific Theatre in WWII, flying the A20 for a light bombardment squadron. A reserve officer, he was recalled to active duty for the Korea conflict flying the B26 in the 13th Bomb Squadron. He flew over 100 combat missions in RF-4Cs over Vietnam in a tactical reconnaissance unit from Udorn AB, Thailand in 1967-68. Other military assignments were in Texas, England, Greece, South Carolina, Delaware, and Alabama where he attended Command and Staff College. He logged more than 6900 hours flying while in the Air Force.
Col. Ayotte's military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Commendation Medal, several Air Medals, and many other medals/ribbons.
Following his military retirement, he flew for Emerald Airlines and Austin Jet, serving as Chief Pilot of Austin Jet until his retirement. In civilian aviation he logged over 9000 hours in multiple airplanes. He stopped flying at age 78 after 55 years and 15944 hours in 49 different aircraft.
Austin is survived by his wife of 70 years, Eleanor Fox Ayotte formerly of Portland, Oregon; one son, Larry, of Mesa, Arizona, a pilot with XOJet; a daughter, Betty, of Austin, Texas, retired nursing professor; a grandson and a granddaughter, two great-granddaughters, and many step and adopted grandchildren. A memorial service celebrating Austin's life will be held at Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church, Manchaca, Texas, on April 3. He will be interred in the military cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, on April 4. Memorial contributions may be made to Salvation Army or a charity of choice.
Honorary Pallbearers: Stephen Ayotte, Nathan Edwards, Emil Schaffroth, and Eldred Rutledge.