Louis Tarleton Dechert, Sr., age 86, went to his heavenly home surrounded by family and music on October 21, 2017.  He was born January 18, 1931 in Junction, Texas to parents Clarence and Bea Fisher Dechert.

He is survived by Marietta, his wife of 68 years, daughter Deborah Jackson of San Antonio, son Louis T. Dechert, Jr. (Paula Sue) of Perkins, Oklahoma, 6 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

He was commissioned in the U.S. Army in 1952 and retired in 1973 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  During his Army career, he served in the Korean War and spent four tours of duty in Vietnam.  He also served in South America and Germany.  He was proudest of becoming a Green Beret.  He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star of Valor, the Bronze Star for Merit, the Purple Heart and awards and commendations from the Korean, Vietnamese and Bolivian governments.  He authored numerous articles in military and secular journals.

After retirement, he consulted with international refugee organizations regarding relief and refugee issues following the Vietnam conflict.  He served as International Director of the Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) and National Evangelical Associations relief project, OPERATION HEARTBEAT.  He recruited, trained and directed staffs at five refugee sponsoring offices in the United States, Canada and Guam.  HEARTBEAT located sponsors for over 25,000 refugees and the procedures and techniques pioneered then continue to be utilized by the United States' and United Nations' refugee and rural development agencies.

LTC Dechert was ordained as a CMA pastor in 1988.

In 2004, he was elected President, Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA), a national veterans corporation affiliated with the International Federation of Korean War Veterans.  He continued serving KWVA until recently.

He was the great great grandson of John Berry, hero/survivor of the Battle of San Jacinto and a proud member of the Sons of the Texas Republic.  He loved the Hill Country, its hillsides covered with bluebonnets and mesquite, and being part of a large German clan.  He was blessed to have many friends and will be remembered often.

Once a soldier,
always a soldier.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Tuesday, October 31, 2017
9:30 A.M. St. Joseph's Chapel,
located at the Village of Incarnate Word

I nterment will follow at
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
with military honors.