Lt. Col. Joan B. Bennett Tyler USAF Ret.

Joan Elizabeth Bennett Weeks Tyler, 93, died Thursday, June 9, 2011 after a long period of mixed health. She was a resident of Langdon Place in Keene, NH, after living on the Tyler Farm on Gap Mountain Road, in Troy, NH., for almost forty years. When she retired from the United States Air Force in 1969, she was the Deputy Commander of Women in the Air Force.

She was born in New York City, the daughter of Florence Fisher and John Joseph Bennett and grew up in Bogota, New Jersey. Joan followed in her mother’s footsteps and was a member of her Episcopal church’s Alter Guild when she was just twelve.

Thanksgivings in those days meant putting the turkey in the oven and the kids in the rumble seat and heading for the ‘City’ to watch the Fordham football game. The family summered in the Adirondacks. Joan loved talking about the wonderful automobile trips back and forth and the excitement of being with her brothers in a free, natural environment without too much parental supervision. Joan graduated from high school in Bogota and went on to Barnard College. The Bennett family was not immune from the effects of the Depression and Joan left Barnard after her sophomore year. She found work as a secretary with the Pan American Airways Engineering Department.

Joan joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACS) in 1942 and after finishing basic training went on to Officer Candidate School. She was assigned to the Army Air Corps. This began a military career that culminated in Joan’s rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and being the last Deputy Commander of the Woman in the Air Force. She served in England with the 8th Air Force and was in France not long after D-Day. She saw the real devastation of the war.

After the war Joan joined the original contingent of officers in the Women in the Air Force (the WAFs). In the late forties while stationed at the Pentagon she got a call one day from a general who knew her. He asked her if she would like to go on a test flight for the new Presidential aircraft—it was Harry Truman’s dedicated aircraft, The Independence. Joan flew to Bermuda did a bit of shopping and then flew back to Washington. It was dubbed a good test. Joan had tours of duty in England, France, Germany and Japan—spending over ten years abroad during her years of military service.

Joan had a leading role in the 1968 study that led to a dramatic, significant expansion of roles and career fields for both officers and enlisted women serving in the Air Force. She attended WAF reunions and took great pride in the progress of women in the military and their increasing achievements. Joan proudly visited the memorial to women who served in the armed forces in Washington DC.

Joan married Captain Hugh Weeks, USAF, in 1952. She later lost him to a hunting accident. For the rest of her life she would refer to ‘Weeks’ and remembered him fondly. A major change in her life came when she reconnected with Colonel John T Tyler, USAF, of Marion, North Carolina, in 1968—they had known each other in England when they both were stationed 3rd Air Force HQ in South Ruislip. John, who was just retiring from the Air Force, was a widower with two young boys and an older son then an officer in the Navy. John had recently purchased a farm in Troy, NH, and planned to move there with his sons for his retirement.

John was smitten with Joan and she with him. In agreeing to marry him she took on the greatest challenge of all—raising two boys who had recently lost their mother. Their wedding - dubbed a change of command ceremony—was performed by the Reverend Chan McCarty of Saint James’s Episcopal Church in Keene. Joan worked tirelessly as a communicant at St James’s; she was a dedicated member of the Alter Guild and a Lector known for her crisp clear reading of scripture. She also served as a community and church volunteer making hundreds of strawberry shortcakes for festivals and fairs.

While living in Troy, she gardened and created a welcoming environment for her friends. Joan and John enjoyed entertaining with a gourmet group, “The Dixie Diners.” She and John travelled widely with their friends and took marvelous photographs of their trips to India, Africa, China, South America and Europe. She enjoyed the Swim Club at Laurel Lake being an active participant in feeding the crowds. And, true to her environment, Joan became an avid (and sometimes very loud) Boston Red Sox and Patriots fan.

Joan received numerous medals, awards and commendations during her twenty eight years of military service.

Joan is survived by her husband Colonel John T. Tyler, USAF, Ret.; two sons John T. Tyler, Jr. (Tim) and Joseph Tyler; grandchildren Melissa and Samuel Tyler of Washington, DC; Jordan, Ellis and Mia Tyler of Litchfield, CT., a niece Tina Hoppock and family of Keene, NH. She is also survived by her brother William F. Bennett of CA. and family as well as cousins from the Weber family of New York. Her first husband Captain Hugh W. Weeks died in 1960. A son, James Franklin Tyler, also predeceased her.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 15th at St James’ Episcopal Church at 11.00 a.m. Burial will follow at Mt. View Cemetery in Troy, NH. There are no public calling hours.

Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com), 33 Marlboro St., Keene, NH is in charge of the arrangements.