Graveside services with full military honors for Albert Lynn Wade, age 87 of Brownwood will be held Tuesday, January 18th at 2pm at the Eastlawn Memorial Park in Early under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home.
For Albert Wade, life was about discipline, about precision, about honor and most importantly about passion. Whether he was piloting a P-47 during combat in World War II, crafting the top rated master’s Thesis among his colleagues at Rice Institute, creating infrared instruments to track missile launches, long before the world knew that technology existed, or seeking out the absolute best medical attention for his physically and mentally challenged daughter. Al’s life revolved around those four principals. Principals that have been passed down to generations and will never be forgotten.
Al passed away Thursday morning, January 13th at his home. He was born July 1st, 1923 in Houston Texas, a son of David Earnast Wade and Ruby Lynn Middleton. He was the youngest of five children. Al graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston on May 31st, 1940, and married the love of his life, Joy Wadene Lucille Norton on August 9th, 1941 in Houston, Texas. Together they had 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. They had been married for 61 years at the time of Joy’s passing, September 4th, 2002.
With Joys full support, he enlisted in the Army Air Force Cadet Corps, being sworn into service November 2nd, 1942 as a private unassigned. Basic training led him to Sheppard Field in January of 1943, followed by aviation training stops across the U.S. He received his wings in February of 1944. Before heading into combat Al, then a second lieutenant was selected to instruct other combat pilots, most of whom far out ranked him. In December of 1944 he was sent overseas to join the 371st Air Fighters Group in Metz, France with stops in England and Paris. He flew a total of eight combat missions including one east of the Rhine River on the outskirts of Frankfort, Germany. He was in the first night formation flight flown in P-47s. Al was discharged from the Army upon his return to the United States, but retained his Reserve commission as a captain.
He returned to Houston and attended Rice Institute (now University) and obtained a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and later, his masters degree in June of 1953.
Al’s career included work for Cameron Iron Works in Houston and Texas Instruments where he was involved in developing the TI-patented controlled seismic source vehicle. He accepted a position with the Santa Barbara Research Center in Santa Barbara California where projects included work on infrared instruments, devices and detectors that could be mounted on telescopes. Such instruments were used to track missiles from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Al retired in 1980 and moved back to Texas with Joy, settling in Marble Falls where they had honeymooned decades earlier. They moved to Brownwood in the 1990’s and then to Fort Davis in 2002 where Joy Passed away. Al stayed in Fort Davis for another two years before returning to Brownwood.
Al is survived by his older sister Aletha DeLouch of Arkansas. Three Children, Shirley and Husband Fred Stair of Fort Davis, Jerry Wade and Wife Cheri of Brownwood and Nancy and Husband Bob Riedel of Colorado Spings Colorado. 9 grandchildren including Peggy and Husband Dr. David Morales of Brownwood. Charles Stair and Wife Valera of Alpine. Robert Wade and Wife Kristin of Early. Brian Wade and Wife Bonnie of Early. Joseph Riedel and Wife Christine of Austin. Tilda Riedel of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Matthew Wade and Wife Shelby of Las Vegas, Nevada. Charity Wade Modgling of Brownwood. Sean Riedel of Colorado Springs, Colorado. 13 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Al was preceeded in death by his wife Joy, daughter Patricia, 2 brothers, David and George and great grandson Garret Modgling.
