A motorcycle and transient alert truck are displayed during Master Sgt. John Colpoys’ memorial service May 22 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Colpoys, a transient alert technician, died in a May 14 motorcycle accident. U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ryan Conroy
Hundreds attended a May 22 memorial service at Aviano Air Base, Italy, for a master sergeant who died in a motorcycle accident earlier this month.
Master Sgt. John Colpoys Jr., 39, a transient alert technician, was a 20-year Air Force veteran who’d served at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona; Misawa Air Base in Japan and Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany before arriving at Aviano in 2011, according to a news release from the base.
He died May 14 in Budoia, Italy.
“After talking to the people who knew him most, I got to know John,” Maj. Franklyn Shepherd, 31st Maintenance Squadron commander, said at the memorial service. “He wouldn’t ask his airman anything he wasn’t willing to do himself. John was so proud to be a member of the U.S. Air Force and was the most loyal friend you could hope to have. The only thing that surpassed his zest for life was making sure others lived life to the fullest.”
Shepherd said Colpoys’ love for his family was obvious when you saw him interact with them. He leaves behind his wife, son and mother, according to the release.
A fellow master sergeant described how Colpoys made him and his wife feel welcome when they arrived at Aviano.
“He was unselfish. He didn’t hesitate to help,” Master Sgt. Michael Prescott said at the service. “He was my friend and my brother and I’m going to miss him.”
