Arch Layman Obituary

Layman

Arch Harry

Layman

December 23, 1920

August 2, 2021



Arch Harry Layman passed away peacefully on August 2, 2021 surrounded by all three of his children. He celebrated his 100th birthday on December 23, 2020.



Arch was born in Montreal, Canada to Salvation Army parents. At age 7, they spent three wonderful years in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a significant time in his young life and added to his lifelong love of the Islands. In 1931 the family moved to San Francisco where he finished school and attended San Francisco Junior College. The day after Pearl Harbor, he joined the California State Guard, he was taken to a pier, given a rifle to defend the coast and was left there for several days.



In 1942 he joined the Army Air Force and was selected to attend Officer Training School which required him to become a Naturalized American Citizen. During the war he was assigned to Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas. Their mission was preparing bomber crews to be deployed to Europe. There he met Jacqueline Lee Meyer and married her after the war and his discharge. He was recalled during the Korean War to the Air Force. He had a career of 30 years reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. His assignments included Canada, Florida, Japan, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Colorado, Vietnam and then retired from Norway.



Arch and Jackie especially enjoyed their four years in Japan and four years in Norway. He completed his Bachelor's through the Air Force "boot strap program" and later completed his Masters at the University of Kansas. He retired in 1975 and has lived in Colorado Springs and Monument. Arch and Jackie spent much of their time traveling the world. Arch and Jackie celebrated 42 years together before she passed away in 1989. Arch loved to meet new people, was an Anglophile and enjoyed reading about world history and political events.



He enjoyed cooking well into his 90's. Family meant everything to him. His greatest joy was being with family and especially as the family grew to 26 family members! He had a special bond with is son, "Chip", and enjoyed a martini and playing gin during his visits.



He is survived by his three children; Leslie (Steve) Lorenz of Monument, CO, Arch (Melody) Layman of Wilmington, DE, and Lindsay (William) Clewe Of Monument, CO, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. A family memorial service will be held at a later date.