From Antelope Valley Press, July 26, 2000

January 4, 1936 – June 15, 2020

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Roger Lowell Counts passed away peacefully June 15, 2020 at age 84. He was a resident of Lancaster for the past 39 years. Roger retired from the Air Force in 1982 after 23 years of service, he served as strategic planner and project manager for various engineering contractors at Edwards AFB. He was awarded the status of Fellow in the Society of Flight Test Engineers and was a member of the River Rats. Roger retired in January of 1999 and built and flew more than 20 miniature radio-controlled aircraft. In 2012, Roger donated his award-winning museum-quality Curtis JN-4D ("Jenny"), along with its British Laser 70 engine, to the San Diego Air and Space Museum. He enjoyed traveling the world with his wife and friends, always sharing his humor to make others laugh.

Roger, the son of Luther and Helen Mullin Counts, grew up in Brewster, Ohio. After graduation from Brewster High School in 1953, he attended Kent State University for two years, and was selected to attend the newly estab- lished U.S. Air Force Academy. He graduated in 1959 with the first Academy class as a commissioned Air Force Second Lieutenant. He then completed Primary Pilot Training in the T-34 at Graham Air Base, Marianna, Florida and Basic Pilot Training in the T-33 at Webb Air Base, Big Spring, Texas. He became an instructor pilot for the T-33, T-37, T-38, F-105 and F-111.

Between June and December of 1966, Roger completed 100 combat missions in the F-105 over North Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 10 Devices, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Device, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal. In 1971, he received a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Roger's overseas assignments included Director of Safety at Clark Air Base, Philippines, and Commander of Det 1, Koon-Ni Range, Republic of Korea. During two tours at Edwards AFB, California, he served as Systems Engineer on the F-15, Lead Systems Engineer on the F-16, and Director of Range Operations for the Mission Control Center.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert Counts and son Clifford Counts. He is survived by his wife Lora Forsgren Counts, sisters Dorothy Killian and Sharen Hatcher, daughter Catherine (Jay) May, grand- daughter Shari Keirn, great granddaughter Clare Harman, granddaughters Amy and Amanda Counts, and numerous nephews and nieces.