Anthony Stathopoulos – Colonel, United States Air Force

From a contemporary press report

Anthony Stathopoulos, 68, a retired Air Force colonel who had been an authority on modern military data and computer communications, died of metastatic colon cancer December 8, 1998 at his home in McLean, Virginia.

Colonel Stathopoulos, who served in the Air Force for more than 20 years, was an instrumental figure in the Department of Defense's efforts in the late 1960s to combine the data and communications systems of each military branch.

By that time, Colonel Stathopoulos had already established himself for his technical work on developing automatic digital networks for the Air Force.

While assigned to the Defense Communications Agency in Washington in the 1970s, Colonel Stathopoulos helped implement the Department of Defense's Autodin II Data Communication System, the predecessor to the department's modern global data and communications networks.

He also served as chief of the networks management branch at Air Force Headquarters.

Colonel Stathopoulos, who was born in Malden, Mass., graduated from Boston College and entered the Air Force Reserve in the early 1950s.

He received his commission through Officer Candidate School in 1959.

He commanded the 98th Communications Squadron at the Royal Korat Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War, and he had assignments in Korea and England.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1978, he worked as a consultant for Xerox Corp., Western Union and Univac Corp. In 1981, he became vice president of Solutions By Design, a computer consulting firm, and retired from that job in 1996.

His military honors included the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

He was a member of Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church in Vienna, the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association, the Air Force Association and the Air Force Command Control Communications and Computer Association.

Survivors include his wife, Irene Cleminshaw Stathopoulos of McLean; four children, Laurie E. Tamez of Juneau, Ala., Rebecca Ilgenfritz of Cascades, Va., Stacy Stathopoulos of Alexandria and Anthony Stathopoulos of Fairfax; two sisters; a brother; and three grandchildren.


STATHOPOULOS, ANTHONY, COL, USAF (Ret.)

Of McLean, Virginia, on Tuesday, December 8, 1998, at his residence, beloved husband of Irene; father of Laurie E. Tamez, Rebecca L. Ilgenfritz, Stacy A. and Anthony Stathopoulos; brother of Christos Stathopoulos, Penny Peckos and Kay Kantaros. He is also survived by  three grandchildren, Wesley Tamez, Kyle and Kaitlin Ilgenfritz. . Services will be held at Fort Myer Old Post Chapel on Friday, December 18, 1998, at 10 a.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery. The family suggests contributions be made to the Lombardi Cancer Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20007.

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