A Strong and Caring Man

By Chloe Allison

Ronald Hampton Lett

June 20, 1937-January 10, 2010

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Ronald Hampton Lett [20]

Ronald Hampton Lett was born on June 20, 1937 in Veale, Indiana.[1] His parents, Hampton and Martha Lett, already had a daughter, Joyce and in 1940 they had a second son, Jerry.[2] A fourth child, Roy, was born in 1943 in Glendale, Indiana.[3] Hampton and Martha raised their children in Glendale, a small town in Daviess County, Indiana. Ronald grew up in the heart of the United States at the end of World War II and he witnessed American involvement in the Korean War, a war supported by the United Nations and most of the people living in the United States. Ronald joined the Army immediately after high school in 1954, but nothing could have prepared him for the Vietnam War, a conflict that became mired in controversy and protest.[4] 

When Ronald Lett enlisted in the United States Army at the age of seventeen, the country had just wrapped on the Korean War. When he enlisted, the young soldier had no way of knowing that the longest war in United States history was just around the corner. The first tour for Ronald lasted from June 30, 1954 until June 12, 1957.[5] Ronald took a little more than a year off from the Army and enlisted for a second tour on September 3, 1958.[6] The United States was still in the thick of the Vietnam War and Ronald served during a time when the casualty rate was high. Ronald continued rising through the ranks of the Army during his service, but also found time for his personal life. It was during Ronald’s second tour with the Army that he married Phyllis Obirek.[7] The couple married on December 27, 1960 in Minnesota when Ronald was twenty-three and Phyllis was twenty-one.[8] Ronald was released from the Army not long after his marriage on September 2, 1961.[9] 

Although no divorce record exists on public record, it can be assumed that Ronald and Phyllis divorced sometime around 1962. Phyllis was living in Winnipeg, Canada and working as a stenographer at the time.[10] It was in 1963 that Ronald Lett enlisted for a third tour with the United States Army.[11] It was this third tour that lasted the longest: twenty-four years of continuous active duty. Ronald continued rising through the ranks of the Army during this stint. Meanwhile, public opinion about the United States military became increasingly negative. Lett did not spend his entire career in a war zone, but instead was stationed on different bases around the world, including Fort Amador in the Czech Republic.[12]

Ronald Lett married United States Army Officer Eileen Traynor on December 12, 1975.[13] The couple met while both were in the Army and married only two years after Eileen enlisted in the Army. The couple served side-by-side as they both continued to rise through the ranks of the Army. Ronald retired from the Army on April 20, 1987 as a Sergeant Major after a thirty-year career.[14] Sergeant Major Lett served his country faithfully throughout the Vietnam War. Ronald continued to support his wife and her career until she was ready to separate from the Army in 1992.[15] The pair retired to Colorado Springs, Colorado that same year.[16] 

Ronald and Eileen enjoyed retirement together for almost twenty years in Colorado Springs. They elected to spend their time with friends and family while also finding hobbies and volunteering at their church. Ronald spent his time restoring old clocks, radios, and cars when he was not spending time with his large family.[17] Ronald and Eileen were a happy couple for nearly thirty-five years but unfortunately Ronald Lett passed away on January 10, 2010 after a long battle with illness.[18] The Sergeant Major lived a long and happy life surrounded by friends and family. He dedicated his life to serving his country and in retirement, he spent his time serving others. Ronald requested that instead of sending flowers to his memorial, his friends and family donate to the Pikes Peak Humane Society as a final act of kindness.[19] Sergeant Major Ronald Lett was a dedicated military man, husband, and friend. His legacy as a strong and caring man lives on.

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Footnotes ↓

[1] “Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 17, 2019), entry for Ronald Hampton Lett, Veale, Daviess, Indiana, 1937, roll no. 010.

[2] “1940 United States Federal Census,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 17, 2019) entry for Hamlet Lett, Harrison, Daviess, Indiana, 1940, pg. 9A.

[3] “Roy Edward Lett,” findagrave.com, (accessed on May 18. 2019) entry for Roy Edward Lett.

[4] “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 18, 2019) entry for Ronald Lett.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] “Minnesota, Marriage Index, 1958-2001,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 17, 2019) entry for Ronald H Lett, Minnesota, 1960.

[8] Ibid.

[9] “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 18, 2019) entry for Ronald Lett.

[10] “Canada, Voters List 1935-1980,” ancestry.com, (accessed June 10, 2019) entry for Phyllis Obirek, 1962.

[11] “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 18, 2019) entry for Ronald Lett.

[12] “Massachusetts, Mason Membership Cards, 1733-1990,” database, ancestry.com, (accessed June 14, 2019) entry for Ronald Lett, Isthmian, Czech Republic, 1967.

[13] “Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997,” database, ancestry.com, (accessed on May 18, 2019) entry for Ronald H Lett, Pierce County, Wisconsin, 1975, certificate no. 034886.

[14] “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” ancestry.com, (accessed on May 18, 2019) entry for Ronald Lett.

[15] “LTC Eileen P. Lett Obituary,” The Gazette (Colorado Springs), July 16, 2017

[16] Ibid.

[17] “Sgt. Major Ronald H. Lett Obituary,” The Gazette (Colorado Springs), January 12, 2010.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Photo courtesy of Legacy.com, https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/ronald-lett-obituary?pid=138485892

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