Lt.Col. Lyman W. Vassey

Lieutenant Colonel Lyman W. Vassey, age 83, of Decatur, GA died on July 2, 2012. He was born on August 29, 1928 in Chesnee, SC to Boyd and Lonnie (Parrish) Vassey. He entered the United States Army in 1950 as a Second Lieutenant from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Following completion of the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, he served as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander with the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea and Japan. He was reassigned to Camp Roberts, California, as an Instructor with the 7th Armored Division Faculty until starting flight training in 1953 at Gary Air Force Base and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Graduating from flight school in 1954, Lieutenant Colonel Vassey was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, the 1st Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Fort Benning, Georgia. After attending the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in 1958, he was assigned to MAAG, Ethiopia, as Aviation Advisor to the Imperial Ethiopian Ground Forces Aviation and as Aviation Officer for the Army Element, MAAG, Ethiopia. In 1960, he was assigned to the United States Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama, as a Flight Instructor. While at Fort Rucker, he attended the Army Safety Course at the University of Southern California. In 1963, he was assigned to the 4th Armored Division in Germany as S-4 of the Third Brigade and later as Executive Officer, 504th Aviation Battalion. Upon his return to the states, he was Chief, Studies Branch, Department of Tactics, United States Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama. In 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Vassey was assigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade, Republic of Vietnam as an Aviation Safety Officer. While in Vietnam, he activated the 101st Aviation Group when the 101st Airborne Division reorganized into an Airmobile Division and completed his Vietnam tour as Deputy Commander of the 101st Aviation Group. From Vietnam he was reassigned to XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as Inspector General and later as Assistant Deputy Installation Commander. In 1973, he was assigned to Third United States Army, Fort McPherson, Georgia, as Safety Officer. After STEADFAST he was Chief, Unit Training and Safety Branch, Aviation Division, DCSOPS, United States Army Forces Command. He attended Wofford College at Spartanburg, South Carolina, and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration. He also was a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. Lieutenant Colonel Vassey's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantry Badge. He was a Master Army Aviator. After his retirement with 25 years of military service, Lieutenant Colonel Vassey held several positions with various firms. He was a member of Parkwood Hills Baptist Church where he served he Lord as both a Deacon and Treasurer. Additionally, he was a very active volunteer with the Gideon's and spent tireless hours helping to distribute Bibles. Mr. Vassey is survived by the former Ruth Mathis whom he married on December 24, 1949, in Spartanburg, SC. Also surviving are his children, Dr. Terry (Tamara) Vassey, Garden Grove, CA, Sharon (Mark) Adams, Statham, GA, Brian Vassey, Stockbridge, GA; 3 sisters, Helen Collins, Spartanburg, SC, Mavis (John) Anderson, Winston-Salem NC, Thelma Coggins, Clifton, SC; 3 grandchildren, Brittany (Eric)Hansen, Andrew Adams, Christopher Vassey and his mother, Melinda Vassey; 2 great grandsons, Marshall Hanson, Elijah Hansen. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon Monday July 9, in the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons, with Pastor J. Jones and Pastor Jim Martin officiating. Interment will follow in Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, GA. The family will receive friends two hours prior to the service on Monday at A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.

Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033