Lt. General Richard Saxer, USAF (Retired)

SPRINGBORO, OHIO — Lieutenant General Saxer, USAF (Ret), of Springboro, Ohio, died Oct. 18, 2016. He was 88 years old.He was born in Toledo on Aug. 31, 1928. Dick graduated from Toledo DeVilbiss High School and attended Bowling Green State University prior to entering the United States Naval Academy. At the Academy, he participated in varsity basketball, baseball and track. He graduated in 1952 as a member of the 9th Company. A few weeks after graduation, he married the former Marilyn D. Mersereau in Toledo. He retired in 1985 after 33 years of active duty.Dick spent most of his career in Special Weapons and research and development. The first several years he was in and out of Albuquerque, N.M., in the nuclear business doing safety studies and testing followed by an 18-month deployment to French Morocco. In 1970, he became Commander/Director of the Air Force Materials Laboratory and in 1974, the Director of the DOD Aeronautical Ballistic Re-Entry Systems Program. In 1977, he was assigned to the Aeronautical Systems Division (ASD) in various assignments and subsequently as Vice Commander. His last assignment was Director of Defense Nuclear Agency with responsibility of managing the DOD nuclear stockpile, conducting underground tests, executing nuclear effects research, maintaining the Pacific Island testing assets at Johnston Island atoll and conducting inspections of Army, Navy and Air Force units worldwide.His military decorations included the Defense and Air Force Distinguished Service medals, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service medal and the Defense and Air Force Meritorious Service medals. He earned a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering and is a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus from The Ohio State University. He was also chosen as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, and an inaugural Distinguished Graduate of Thomas A. DeVilbiss High School's Hall of Fame.After retirement from the Air Force, Dick served on several industrial and university boards and in 1990 became CEO of Universal Technology Corporation. In retirement, Dick rekindled his love for the Lakeside and Lake Erie region where he spent his young adult life.He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; daughter, Jane and husband Steve Mott and grandsons Kevin, Casey and Carey; son, Robert and wife Jackie and granddaughter Molly; daughter, Kris and husband Craig Eisentrout and grandchildren Brett, Katy and husband Rob Gerth and great-grandson Zachary; daughter, Ann and husband Stephen Ford and grandchildren Erin, Ryan and Jack.A memorial service and interment will be at the United States Naval Academy.