Col. Donald D. Beckham USAF (ret.) died June 5, 2008, in Centennial, Colorado. He was born March 19, 1935, in Columbia, SC. He graduated from Dreher High School in 1953 where he was a football, basketball, and track star. He was noted for his blazing red hair and equally blazing speed and became known around Columbia as "Red."

Beckham graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1957 with a BA degree and an Air Force ROTC commission. He was first stationed in Morocco where he met his first wife, Francoise Ventura, with whom he had a son, JP. After an assignment in Alaska, he was sent to the Pentagon. During his stay in Washington, D.C., Beckham earned his law degree at George Washington University.

In 1968, he became judge advocate at Lowry Air Force Base then later served in JAG offices in Washington, D.C., England, Denver (where he was chosen Federal Attorney of the Year in 1982), and Randolph AFB, TX. He married Francis Turner Boyce in 1970 and became the father to her daughter, Robin, from a previous marriage.

Be c k h a m's military decorations included the Air Force Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal. He retired as a colonel in 1985 and joined the John P. Nanney Law Firm in Denver where he focused on personal injury cases.

Red Beckham began to show signs of Alzheimer's Disease in 1995 but continued working. He attended the 50th reunion of his Dreher High School class in 2003 and impressed his classmates with his magnetic personality. They found him, as always, very funny and the center of attention, a man for all seasons.

The former Blue Devil is survived by his wife of 37 years, Fran; his children, JP (Dana) Beckham of Ashburn, Va., and Robin (Peter) Braidman of Aurora, Colo.; three grandchildren, and his sister, Anne Beckham of Columbia, S.C.

A graveside service was held June 11 at the Fort Logan National Cemetery, Staging Area B. Contributions may be made in his honor to the Alzheimer's Association, 855 Sherman St., Suite 500, Denver, CO 80203.