Richard Irwin Erb
August 31, 1928 ~ March 10, 2024
Born in:
Pasadena, California
Resided in:
Alexandria, Virginia
On March 10th, 2024, Lt. Col Richard Irwin Erb, “GP,” passed away at the age of 95 due to complications from leukemia in Alexandria, VA. He was born in Pasadena, California on the 31st of August 1928 to Irwin and Cora Erb. He married Barbara Stanz Erb (“Bobbie”) in 1952 and had five children: John Erb, Jody Goettlich, Jim Erb, Jeff Erb, and Jason Erb and had resided in Alexandria, Virginia since 1968.
He served in the United States Air Force from 1950 until 1979 as an aeronautical engineer and pilot with major contributions to the A-7, A-10 and F-15 programs. He flew F89 Scorpions, F94 Starfires and also served in Vietnam flying C-130s. His lifelong passion was flying, and he loved enjoying adventures with anyone available, making new friends and visiting many family members along the way.
Richard is survived by his five children along with 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren and will be laid to rest alongside his beloved wife at Arlington National Cemetery at an undetermined date in the future.
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Dad was the best, and he’s sorely missed. He always made great efforts to be in my life and my children’s lives. He loved fresh and new adventure, creating moments with family and friends, and travel. Boy did he love travel😀 I talked with him almost daily and he was sharp until the very end. He enjoyed reminiscing about his “flying days” and news of the day. He stayed young at heart. “Blue skies ahead” dad.
GP was such a wonderful light. Was kind, caring and compassionate towards people. He was so fun loving. Enjoyed all the adventures life could give him. So many wonderful trips he took with all of his family. He will be dearly missed and he was and is dearly loved. Thanks for being the best father in law a woman could ever ask for. Be at peace. Love Tish, Godspeed
A wonderful man. I cannot think of a better testimony to one’s life than to have such beautiful, gracious and inspiring children and grandchildren. Everyone he touched walked away feeling loved, smiling more. The Colonel and his eternal partner “Mrs Erb” made this crazy world of ours better…You will be missed but never forgotten…Blue Skies GP!!!!