Jack Lober

Chief Master Sergeant Jack A. Lober, USAF (Ret.)

d. August 16, 2025

United States Air Force Retired Chief Master Sergeant Jack A. Lober, age 88, a resident of Albuquerque, NM since 1981, passed away on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Jack is survived by his wife Jeanette Chavez-Lober; and children, Jeffery Scott Lober, Russell "Rusty" Lober (Sherry), Sherry Schwilm (Carl), Roger Kinkennon (Ginny) and Sam Kinkennon Jr. (Debbie); 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 37 years, Charolette "Charlie" (d. 2018) and grandson Samuel Kinkennon III (d. 2012).

Jack was born June 5, 1937 on a small farm near Beaver Falls, PA, son of the late Lavina V. (Chapman) and Frederick J. Lober. He graduated from Beaver Falls High School in 1955 and enlisted in the United States Army on September 23, 1956. Jack transferred from the Army to the Air Force in January 1961. He proudly served honorably for 28 years, retiring on November 21, 1984.

His first Air Force assignment was in Duluth, MN, with the Boeing Michigan Air Research Center (BOMARC) ground-to-air interceptor missile, where he functioned as a missile electronics systems technician. In December of 1966, Jack transferred to Hurlburt Field, near Eglin AFB, FL, where he was an instrumental contributor to the Combat Evaluation Launch Program and thereafter, assigned to the task force that converted the BOMARC missile to a high speed, high altitude target. After the missiles successful conversion in September 1976, Jack was then transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center at Tyndall AFB, FL, as Chief of the Target and Missile Control Contract Monitoring Division, until April 1978, when he was transferred to Headquarters, Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM) in Colorado Springs, CO. When ADCOM was closed down in 1980, he moved to the Air Force Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland AFB, NM and was assigned to the Airborne Laser Laboratory (ALL) program, with the primary responsibility to provide an airborne target platform which would provide high energy laser (HEL) beam parameters for the ALL. His target systems provided the first ever airborne characterization of the laser beam. After ALL was inactivated, he was assigned as Superintendent for the HEL Technology Applicants Division. After Jack's military career, he went to work for Premier Distributing Company in Albuquerque, NM and thereafter, HR Block.

Jack loved fishing, boating and camping. He was also an avid bowler, achieving a perfect 300 game and 812 series that he was immensely proud of.

Cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held Thursday, September 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m. at FRENCH - Lomas. Internment of ashes to follow at 1:00 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery where full military honors will be bestowed. Jack loved animals, so we ask that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made in Jack's name to Watermelon Mountain Ranch (www.wmranch.org).