Phillip Burl Chesher, 79, of Marble Falls died Dec. 10, 1015
Col. Phillip Burl Chesher, USA Retired, 79, of Marble Falls, Texas, died peacefully on Dec. 10, 2015. Col. Chesher, a decorated U.S. Army officer, loved his family and serving his country during his distinguished 23-year military career.
Born Aug. 23, 1936, in Miami, Texas, Phil was raised in Amarillo, where he graduated from Amarillo High School in 1954. He then attended Texas A&M University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958 in industrial education. He was in the Corps of Cadets and earned a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Phil entered active duty in November 1958 as an air defense artillery officer and served in various command and staff positions until 1962. He then attended the Artillery Officers Career Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and served as a battery commander until he was reassigned to Germany in 1964. In Germany, he served as a detachment commander and staff officer with the Special Ammunition Support Command.
Upon his return to the United States in 1967, Phil attended the civil affairs course, Vietnamese adviser school and Vietnamese language school. In 1969, he served as the operations officer with the Military Advisory Team at Vinh Long, Providence, Vietnam.
After returning to the United States in December 1969, he served in various staff positions until he attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1974. He was then off to South Korea to serve as an Army inspector general until his promotion to lieutenant colonel with duty as an air defense battalion commander.
Phil moved to Washington, D.C., in 1977 and served in the Operations Directorate of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1980, he was promoted to colonel and reassigned to the Office of Secretary of Defense.
Until his retirement, Col. Chesher served as the special assistant for Nuclear Security in the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy.
Col. Chesher received the following awards and decorations during his 23-year career in the Army: Bronze Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and various other overseas service medals.
Phil retired and moved to Marble Falls in 1983.
Col. Chesher was preceded in death by his parents, Burl and Sue Chesher; sons David Chesher and Scott Murray; and in-laws, Joseph and Emily Scott.
He is survived by his loving wife, Karen S. Chesher of Marble Falls; son Joseph Chesher of Marble Falls; sister, Janice Sluder and husband Wendell of Amarillo; granddaughter, Crystal Chesher of Dale City, Virginia; brother-in-law Mike Scott and wife Kathy of Millersville, Maryland; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial service is 11 a.m. Dec. 15 at First Baptist Church of Marble Falls with Pastor Ross Chandler officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Marble Falls building fund.
Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 1805 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls, (830) 693-4373. Go to clementswilcoxfuneralhome.com to offer condolences.