Daniel Paul Hites, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret), passed away February 12, 2016. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1968 with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and from the University of California, Irvine with an MBA. Dan was the first Commander of Cadet Squadron 25; he was honored on the Commandant's and Dean's Lists. After flying both the KC-135 and FB-111 as a command pilot, instructor, and evaluator, Dan authored and published the Advanced Technology Bomber Operational Requirements Document for the MAJCOM (formally Strategic Air Command). He worked through the integration of the AF and Northrop/Grumman program team on both sides (MAJCOM Program Element Manager). Following his AF career, Dan joined Northrop Grumman Corporation staying with the ATB (B-2 Bomber) for 24 years. Upon retirement Dan and his wife, Wendy, moved to Monument Colorado where he participated in several USAFA voluntary positions including Honorary Commander for the 25th Squadron, the Center for Character & Leadership Development, ACES, LIFT, R&Rm abd VECTOR programs, and Basic Cadet Honor Training. He is survived by his wife, Wendy, his sister Barbara and her husband, Ronald Pierre. A quiet warrior, loving husband, and loyal friend, Dan left us much too soon--and we miss him. The funeral was celebrated at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Monday, February 22 at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at the AF Cemetery with a Reception following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Air Force Endowment Fund. www.usafa.org/give/usafaendowment
Dan and I were part of the "gang" that played football and partied together. We lost contact after graduation and it wasn't until Blocher's passing in Feb 2015, that we reconnected. He loved his Corvette and plane and I was really looking forward to seeing him in June. I was so surprised when he stopped responding to my emails and texts and am glad his widow started looking at his emails and notified me this morning and now we all, sadly, know of his passing in Feb 2016.
Dan was a sweetheart of mine for a time in high school and I remember him as a gentle serious person. He had the most beautiful baby blue VW bug which I accidentally damaged when my little buick skylark slipped on the ice in the student parking lot. Thankfully Dan understood and forgave me. I have thought about him over the years and his life sounds like it was wonderfully full.
I was quite sad to hear of Dan's passing. I remember him well since as class seating was typically alphebetical, Hites-Holtzer would be close to each other. I remember his lovely slow smile, especially when it got to raise his eyebrows when he was really amused. But most of all I remember how teachers would trip over Dan's feet in the aisle since the poor guy couldn't manage to fit them under his desk. My sincere condolences to his family. I envy his life - it made a difference.
So sad. I didn't know until I came back to the site after several years absent. Dan and I were closest in our first years at WHHS. We were in an advanced math class from 7th grade so were in the same home room. As Judy Holtzer said she sat in back of Dan and as a Goldman I sat in front of him. Dan was a great note passer for me but once when I had my shoes off he passed them around the classroom. OOPs I got in trouble.
In 8th grade a friend of Dan's Jay was my boyfriend (I never went out with this boy or talked to him on the phone, but we passed notes once a day at school) and Dan had a girlfriend at a different school, but everyday after school Dan would call and say hi this is Jay and I would say hi Dan and we would settle in to talking. At some point his sister Barbara would come by and ask who he was talking to, and he would say a friend. She would ask if it was a boy or girl and he would reply a boy. Barbara would go off chanting Fibber McGee and Molly and we would go back to talking. Looking back it seems like my friend Dan was more important than my boyfriend. Oh adolescence!
Several mentioned Dan's smile, I remember his blushing, a very endearing characteristic. On the senior picture he gave me he had added in blue ink - horns, mustache and goatee. Quite the handsome devil!
After high school he went off to the Air Force Academy and I went to Earlham College, a Quaker school with a serious peace committment and our lives went different ways. I always wondered if we had very different 1960s/70s and it seems that we did indeed. It sounds like Dan had a good and full life and excelled on the path that he chose. I am truly sorry that he died so young. Dee Goldman
Gail Weintraub (Stern)
Dan's Obituary:
Daniel Paul Hites, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret), passed away February 12, 2016. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1968 with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and from the University of California, Irvine with an MBA. Dan was the first Commander of Cadet Squadron 25; he was honored on the Commandant's and Dean's Lists. After flying both the KC-135 and FB-111 as a command pilot, instructor, and evaluator, Dan authored and published the Advanced Technology Bomber Operational Requirements Document for the MAJCOM (formally Strategic Air Command). He worked through the integration of the AF and Northrop/Grumman program team on both sides (MAJCOM Program Element Manager). Following his AF career, Dan joined Northrop Grumman Corporation staying with the ATB (B-2 Bomber) for 24 years. Upon retirement Dan and his wife, Wendy, moved to Monument Colorado where he participated in several USAFA voluntary positions including Honorary Commander for the 25th Squadron, the Center for Character & Leadership Development, ACES, LIFT, R&Rm abd VECTOR programs, and Basic Cadet Honor Training. He is survived by his wife, Wendy, his sister Barbara and her husband, Ronald Pierre. A quiet warrior, loving husband, and loyal friend, Dan left us much too soon--and we miss him. The funeral was celebrated at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Monday, February 22 at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at the AF Cemetery with a Reception following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Air Force Endowment Fund. www.usafa.org/give/usafaendowment
Gene Stern
Dan and I were part of the "gang" that played football and partied together. We lost contact after graduation and it wasn't until Blocher's passing in Feb 2015, that we reconnected. He loved his Corvette and plane and I was really looking forward to seeing him in June. I was so surprised when he stopped responding to my emails and texts and am glad his widow started looking at his emails and notified me this morning and now we all, sadly, know of his passing in Feb 2016.
Sally Hastie (Dessner)
Dan was a sweetheart of mine for a time in high school and I remember him as a gentle serious person. He had the most beautiful baby blue VW bug which I accidentally damaged when my little buick skylark slipped on the ice in the student parking lot. Thankfully Dan understood and forgave me. I have thought about him over the years and his life sounds like it was wonderfully full.
Judy Holtzer (Knopf)
I was quite sad to hear of Dan's passing. I remember him well since as class seating was typically alphebetical, Hites-Holtzer would be close to each other. I remember his lovely slow smile, especially when it got to raise his eyebrows when he was really amused. But most of all I remember how teachers would trip over Dan's feet in the aisle since the poor guy couldn't manage to fit them under his desk. My sincere condolences to his family. I envy his life - it made a difference.
Philip Spiess
Wow!, Judy, your mention of Dan's eyebrows brought back many (good) memories. And, yes, that smile!
Dee Goldman
So sad. I didn't know until I came back to the site after several years absent. Dan and I were closest in our first years at WHHS. We were in an advanced math class from 7th grade so were in the same home room. As Judy Holtzer said she sat in back of Dan and as a Goldman I sat in front of him. Dan was a great note passer for me but once when I had my shoes off he passed them around the classroom. OOPs I got in trouble.
In 8th grade a friend of Dan's Jay was my boyfriend (I never went out with this boy or talked to him on the phone, but we passed notes once a day at school) and Dan had a girlfriend at a different school, but everyday after school Dan would call and say hi this is Jay and I would say hi Dan and we would settle in to talking. At some point his sister Barbara would come by and ask who he was talking to, and he would say a friend. She would ask if it was a boy or girl and he would reply a boy. Barbara would go off chanting Fibber McGee and Molly and we would go back to talking. Looking back it seems like my friend Dan was more important than my boyfriend. Oh adolescence!
Several mentioned Dan's smile, I remember his blushing, a very endearing characteristic. On the senior picture he gave me he had added in blue ink - horns, mustache and goatee. Quite the handsome devil!
After high school he went off to the Air Force Academy and I went to Earlham College, a Quaker school with a serious peace committment and our lives went different ways. I always wondered if we had very different 1960s/70s and it seems that we did indeed. It sounds like Dan had a good and full life and excelled on the path that he chose. I am truly sorry that he died so young. Dee Goldman