Roll Call Tribute

Edward Blair "Ted" Licence, Jr., Lt Col USAF (Ret) 

April 27, 1948 - June 12, 2024 

Edward Blair Licence, Jr., Ted to his friends, passed away on June 12, 2024. Ted was born April 27, 1948 in Freeport, Long Island, New York. At the age of one, his family moved one town west to Baldwin, N.Y., where he grew up. An Eagle Scout and Newsday Honor carrier, he graduated from Baldwin Senior High School in 1966.

He attended Texas A&M University and was a four-year ROTC Corps of Cadets student and Executive Officer of Squadron Six, his Senior year. Upon graduation in December 1970, with a Bachelors of Science degree, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He graduated from Undergraduate Navigator training in June 1972. In his 23 years in the Air Force, he was a Sensor Operator on AC-119K Gunships, a Navigator on the KC-135 Strato-tanker, and a Weapons System Officer (WSO)/Instructor WSO/Stan Eval Flight Evaluator in the F-4 Phantom. He amassed a total of 2300 hours of flight time, of which 1650 was in the F-4E. In 1984 he was assigned to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, as the Senior Air Force Representative/Air Force Liaison from Tactical Air Command/Air Combat Command to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca. He retired in 1993 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

He was active in the Boy Scouts of America as an Assistant Scoutmaster/Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 444, from 1984-1991. He was especially proud of his Wood Badge award and Scoutmaster Award of Merit from the National Eagle Scout Association. He was an active Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow.

After retiring from the Air Force, he acquired his teaching certificate and taught school for 19 years. He taught 7th and 8th grade Science at Sierra Vista Middle School, 5th grade at General Meyer Elementary School on Ft. Huachuca and taught 4th grade for 11 years at Chancellor/Chancellor-Beacon/Imagine Charter School of Sierra Vista. His education credentials include a B.S. degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M, an MBA from Central Michigan University, a Masters of Science degree in Education from Chapman University and an Associate of Arts Degree in History from Cochise College.

He is survived by his wife Dow, of 47 years (married in July 1976), two children - Akara Licence and Mista Reed, six Grandchildren and five Great Grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation be made to the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research or to The American Heart Association.

Arrangements under the care of Hatfield Funeral Home.