Lt. Col. Gilbert John Achter, Jr., UASF Ret.

Lt. Col. Gilbert John Achter, Jr. USAF Ret., 77, of Hattiesburg, passed away Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at Lamar Health and Rehab.

Visitation will be Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with a Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 11:30 a.m.

Lt. Col. Achter was a graduate of USAFA, class of 1964, and served in the United States Air Force as a pilot for 26 years before retiring in 1989. After the military, he became a pilot for FedEx for 12 years before retiring in 2001. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He was an avid outdoorsman mainly enjoying golf, hunting and gardening. He had a special love for his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert John Achter, Sr. and Loretta Achter; and one brother, Eugene Achter.

He is survived by his wife, Pam Achter of Hattiesburg; one son, Erik Achter (Brenda) of Caledonia, MS; one daughter, Laura Achter (John Ratliff) of Hattiesburg; four grandsons, Garrett Achter, Korbin Achter, Jacob Ratliff, and Logan Ratliff; one sister, Doris Lundgren of Bothell, WA; one brother, Tom Achter of Grass Valley, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews.