Colonel Kenneth V. Gasior USAF (ret.), 91, died peacefully in his Bend, OR home on October 17, 2025. Ken was a career Air Force officer and veteran of the Vietnam War.
Col. Gasior was born on June 27, 1934 in Jersey City, NJ to Benjamin and Dorothy Gasior. In 1952 he moved to Logan, UT where he attended Utah State University as a forestry major. During those college years, he began preparing for a military career through the ROTC program and was commissioned in 1956. He and his wife Joyce relocated to San Antonio, TX where he began training as a navigator. From there, he was assigned to a variety of squadrons around the U.S., flying the KC-135 tanker. In addition, he worked on a missile crew during the Cold War in the late 60's and served as a navigator aboard the AC-130 gunship during his yearlong tour in Vietnam in the early 70's. He completed his career as a Maintenance Squadron Commander, serving in both the U.S. and abroad.
Ken was an avid golfer, skier and fisherman. When not outdoors, you would often find him in his shop, engaged in a variety of projects. He could fix or build anything, culminating in the construction of their log home in Bend. He loved sports, music and a good spy novel. Col. Gasior was a brave and loyal soldier, as well as a loving husband and father. He married the love of his life, Joyce Heinz, in Irvington, NJ in 1956 and together, they raised two sons.
Ken was predeceased by his wife (Joyce), sister (Elaine McClure) and parents (Benjamin and Dorothy). He is survived by his two sons, Stephen (Beverly) and David (Michelle) and his two grandchildren, Grace and Alex.
He and his wife will be interred together in a private ceremony at a later date, to be announced.
To order
memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth Vincent Gasior, please visit our
flower store.