LAKE CHARLES, La. — Joseph Roy Duhon Jr., 69, a retired Air Force colonel, died Aug. 5, 2012, following a lengthy illness. He was 69.

Col. Duhon was born on Oct. 3, 1944, in Lake Charles to the late Ella Mae Derouen Duhon and Joseph Roy Duhon Sr. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University, earned a master’s degree from Golden Gate University and completed military schools including Air War College and the Air Force’s Research Associates Program at the Rand Corporation. Col. Duhon served in the Air Force for 30 years as pilot and commander. He was a highly decorated veteran of two wars, Vietnam and the First Gulf War. Among his many awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals, and ten Air Medals.

Col. Duhon is survived by his wife, the former Susan Luck of Shreveport; his children, Dr. Stephanie Duhon Wallace and husband, David, of Vicksburg and Christopher Roy Duhon and wife Margaret of Chicago; four grandchildren, Elizabeth, Emily, Christine and David Wallace; his sister, Barbara Ann Comeaux and husband Anson of Lake Charles; and numerous other family members.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday Aug. 10, 2012, at Johnson Funeral Home in Lake Charles. The Rev. George “Sonny” Spurger will officiate. Interment will follow at Grand Lake Community Cemetery in Grand Lake, La., with full military honors. Visitation will be Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012, from 4 until 7 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. until the service at the funeral home.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Northwest Louisiana War Veterans’ Home in Bossier City, La., for their outstanding care. Special thanks go to Drs. Roy Fleniken and Byron Hines, Louise Wiggins, RN, the LPNs and CNAs and the entire staff of Wing 4.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans’ Home, 3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, Bossier City, LA 71112 and or the New York University’s Langone Center for Excellence on Brain Aging, 145 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016.

Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.johnsonfuneralhome.net.