Taps was played for a true American, LeGrande Westover, who went to be with our Lord in Heaven on the 20th of October 2026.

LeGrande was born on the 13th of March 1937 in Phoenix, Arizona and was brought back to his new home in Joseph City, Arizona by his adopted parents Earl B. Westover and Margaret Webb Westover. He grew up there with his three brothers and two sisters, working at the family dairy and farm fields. He spent his free time camping, hunting, and fishing with friends. He attended Holbrook High School and played on the varsity football team. While still in high school his father signed a waiver, whereas, he left school to join the Air force. He attended Lowry Air force for training, and this is where he was introduced to Patricia Draper who he soon married on the 16th of September 1955. 

His first assignment was at Gannon Airforce Base in Clovis, New Mexico where his first son was born. Soon after, he was transferred to Davis Monthan Air force Base where his three other sons were born. He worked several other side jobs and would take his eldest son with him. It was hard to provide for a family of six at a young age. After a few years, he was seeing no future, so he applied for gunners school and was accepted. He loved the idea of flying on planes and after he graduated, he was transferred to the Strategic Air Command Base in Sacramento, California, Mather Air Force Base. This is where he became a tail gunner on a B-52 Stratofortress. This is also where he did his first tour of flight in Vietnam War in 1966. His family was moved to a ranch in the country while he was in Vietnam. After four years, he was transferred to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. He did two more tours to bomb in Vietnam. After that, he was transferred to Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. He did his last two tours there to bomb in Vietnam. During the war a lot of planes were shot down with crew members that were known by LeGrande, especially during the TET offensive. LeGrande flew over 250 bombing missions and earned the air medal with four oak leaf clusters. LeGrande changed because of the war by becoming more meeker and caring for people. He especially worried about the innocent people that may have been killed by the bombs they dropped. He retired from the Air Force after twenty years of dedicated service and was ready to start his new life. He then moved his family down to Pinedale Arizona where his mother grew up and he had a house built by Louis Peterson. He started working at the paper mill in Snowflake for over six years. He left to pursue a goal of driving a log truck, which he did on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. In 1980, LeGrande and Patricia started living the summers in Dolores, Colorado, where he purchased his Oron Mac log truck and hired on where needed. During the winter they used their travel trailer to stay at Roosevelt Lake where they explored the area completely. After a couple of years, LeGrande converted his log truck into a dump truck and hired himself out, while staying in the travel trailer in Colorado. He sold his truck and worked alongside his wife and son as Park rangers, conducting tours at Mesa Verde National Monument. Many who visited Mesa Verde know the excellent work and services given by LeGrande.

In 1983 they purchased land and mobile home at the retirement community of Queen Valley, Arizona. They continued to work in the summer at Mesa Verde and spend the winter in Queen Valley, where they were part of group that went dune buggy touring around the Southwest and Mexico. After retirement, he spent his time in Colorado and Arizona with his hobbies of gardening, camping, hunting, fishing, and reloading ammunition. He always said, he was blessed by always being around his grandchildren, watching them grow from infants to adulthood. He liked it when the kids would sing to him "Grandpa, Tell Me About the Good Ole Days." His traits rubbed off on all of them.

LeGrande is proceeded in death by his wife of 71 years, Patricia, his parents Carl B. and Maragret Webb Westover, sister Flora Tiffany; brothers Orlando (Sylvia) Westover; Earl Brent (Valaine) Westover. He is survived by his sons Kenneth (Verna) Westover; Phillip (Jackie) Westover; Kerry Lee Westover; Jon (Rossy) Westover; Brother John (Mary) Westover, sister Margie (Gary) Russell, nine grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and his lifelong friend Brantley Baird of Joseph city, Arizona. 

LeGrande loved his family and his country. 

In lieu of flowers you can donate to the Gunners Association at https://stratofortress.com