Michael J O'Toole

Michael J. O Toole

Colonel Michael J. O Toole, 51 , Wing Commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing, was killed in his private airplane near his home on Friday afternoon. Colonel O Toole was born on Jan. 1, 1952, in Hiawatha, to Donald J. and Betty Jo Korthanke O Toole. He graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, he also completed Air Command and Staff College and Air War College. He has been the commander of the Air Refueling Wing since June 2002. He initially joined the 190th in May 1970 and served three years as a fuels specialist when he accepted an AFROTC Scholarship at Washburn University. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1975 and served on active duty as a personnel officer until 1979, when he returned to the 190th Air Refueling Group. He attended undergraduate pilot training before returning to Topeka where he served as a traditional guardsman until 1985 when he was hired as an instructor pilot. He served in numerous positions in the Wing before being selected as the Commander. His illustrious career covered service in Southwest Asia, Desert Shield and Storm , Kosovo and flying support of the Iraq no-fly zone as well as numerous support missions throughout the world for aerial refueling. He was a Command Pilot with more than 7000 hours. He served his community in many capacities. He was a member of Leadership Topeka 2001, served on the Board of Directors for Topeka Chamber of Commerce, member of the Board of Trustees Stormont-Vail Foundation, and Leadership Kansas 2003. He served youth interested in flying by supporting Young Eagles and Wright Flight. He was a member of Experimental Aircraft Association. He was First Vice President of the Board of Directors, National Guard Association of Kansas. He was a life member of the National Guard Association of Kansas and the United States. He had memberships in Anderson-Raible American Legion Post 239 and Hultgren-Piper Veterans of Foreign War Post No. 11555. Among his many decorations and awards are the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with an Oak Leaf , Air Medal with Oak Leaf , Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf , Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal with seven Oak Leafs, Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Stars, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Saudi Arabia/Kuwait. He married Pamela J. Matter on May 25, 1974, in Parsons. She survives. Other survivors include two daughters, Erin English and her husband, John, of Denver, Colo., Shannon O Toole, of Topeka; a son, Michael P. O Toole, of Lawrence; and two grandsons, Drew and Jack English. He is also survived by his parents, Donald J. O Toole and Betty Jo Burris, both of Topeka; and four sisters Kathleen Zimmerman, Debbie Ortega and Lori O Toole, of Topeka and Diana Rogers, Ketchum, Okla. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Grace Episcopal Cathedral, 701 S.W. Eighth. Colonel O Toole will lie in state after 3:00 Wednesday , where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parker-Price Mortuary. Burial will be at Rochester cemetery, where Military Honors will be conducted by The Kansas National Guard Combined Colorguard. In lieu of flowers, and due to his love of trees, memorial contributions may be made to the Buena Terra Tree Fund in honor of Colonel O Toole, 5841 N.E. Shaffer Road, Topeka, 66617 , Neo-Natal ICU at Stormont-Vail, 1500 S.W. 10th, Topeka, 66604, or the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, P. O. Box 19031, Topeka, 66619-0931. Parker-Price Mortuary is in charge of arrangements