Colonel Jay G. Sekavec, D.D.S., born in Cody, Wyoming is survived by his wife, Pamela Masser Sekavec, and son, Dr. Jeffrey Guy Sekavec, and soon to be daughter-in-law, Brittany Lynn Ellegood.
Dr. J, as he was known to many, served in the U.S. Air Force in excess of 30 years. His career as a Command Dental Surgeon and pilot spanned several major conflicts to include augmenting MASH units in Vietnam, among other actions, with extensive U.S. and foreign awards being received to include the U.S. Legion of Merit. Colonel Sekavec epitomized service to not only the nation but humankind through such actions as performing above and beyond to create clinics with exceptional service to the members of the USAF and their dependents as well as local personnel in “public health day” events overseas while also fostering joint operations among the branches of the armed forces overseas to the point that his clinic at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan attained the first ever awarded “outstanding” rank to a USAF dental service by the USAF Health Services Management Inspection Program. Indeed, Colonel Sekavec went on to author the first USAF Dental Surgeons Guide and be involved in notable high altitude dental research. Furthermore, he went so far as to serve in numerous hospital commander positions and as a medical center deputy commander role with the culmination of such actions involving the leading of the USAF disaster response to the near magnitude 8 Baguio City earthquake in the Philippines in 1990 that impacted a substantial portion of the population of the country. While in the USAF, Colonel Sekavec also became one of the leading consultants involving forensic dentistry for the service to culminate with him being significantly involved with the USS White Plains incident and, tangentially, involved with the Challenger Shuttle tragedy.
Following Dr. J’s retirement from active duty USAF service as a Command Dental Surgeon at the USAF Academy, he became a Deputy Coroner for Natrona County, Wyoming as well as a forensic dentistry consultant. Concurrently, he also joined the Dental Hygiene Program Faculty at Colby Community College. Once again, his character of selfless service was exemplified through his tenure at Colby Community College with an unending drive to allow the program to excel and propel his students to their utmost ability in the service of the dental community and associated population while supporting each and every student in any and every means possible until his day of passing.
Jay Gordon Sekavec, age 76, of Monument, CO and Oakley, KS, passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at his home in Monument, CO. Jay was born on January 12, 1941 in Cody, Wyoming to Gordon Bennett and Frances Lucile Albright Sekavec.
Jay married Pamela Andre` Masser. He was a Vietnam War veteran with the U.S. Air Force, earned his Doctorate degree in dental surgery, served as a U.S.A.F. dental surgeon and obtained the rank of Colonel. Among various accomplishments, he was a dental hygiene instructor at Colby Community College.
Funeral service: 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Gateway Fellowship Impact Center, Oakley, with Chaplain Paul Anderson, USAF retired, officiating. Visitation: 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, Oakley. Family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Memorials: Dr. J. Memorial Scholarship at Colby Community College may be sent in care of Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, P.O. Box 221, Oakley, KS 67748.