Roger Bruce Vallance, 79, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away on January 18, 2026. Born October 25, 1946, in Tampa, Florida, he grew up in a military family and lived throughout the U.S. and abroad. Roger served more than 25 years with the 161st Air Refueling Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard, retiring with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, and later worked in accounting before retiring in 2011. He enjoyed travel, history, mystery novels, and sports. He is survived by his wife Constance; children Michelle Vallance Petry (Devin), Megan Vallance, and Bryan Vallance (Julie); and grandchildren Reid, Connor, Nicholas, Kiani, Eliana, and Gavan.
Col. Charles David Ralls (USAF Ret.) Obituary
Colonel Charles David Ralls (USAF Ret.), age 83, of Panama City Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2026.
Born on August 28, 1942, in Long Beach, California, Charlie lived a life defined by courage, service, and quiet excellence. From an early age, he felt called to the skies—a calling that would shape a remarkable 30-year military career and leave a lasting impact on all who knew him.
Charlie attended Arizona State College, after which he began a distinguished career in the United States Air Force. During the Vietnam War, he served as a special operations pilot, later flying dangerous and critical tanker refueling missions supporting B-52 bombers. His skill, calm under pressure, and unwavering commitment to mission and crew earned him the respect of peers and superiors alike.
Following USAF active-duty service, Charlie continued to serve his country through the Arizona Air National Guard, where he rose to become Vice Commander of the Air Refueling Unit. After the war, he also played a vital role in training commercial airline pilots in tanker refueling operations, ensuring the next generation carried forward the same precision and professionalism he embodied. Over the course of his career, Colonel Ralls received numerous honors, including the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and recognition for his four-star Vietnam tour, among many other medals and awards. Yet, despite these achievements, Charlie remained characteristically humble. He was most proud of his service as a pilot for Angel Flights, using his skills to help others in their times of greatest need.
After retiring from the military in 1997, Charlie embraced life fully. He enjoyed boating, golf, and travel, and was a long-time member of the Bay Point Yacht Club, where he served as Commodore in 2014. He embarked on African safaris, fished in Canada, and returned to Vietnam twice. Travel was a passion he shared with his beloved wife, Susie. Together they traveled Europe extensively. With her by his side, he returned to Vietnam for a third time closing a powerful chapter of his life with reflection and peace.
Charlie is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Susan Ralls; his children, David Ralls (Debra), and Catherine Ralls; and his cherished grandchildren, William Ralls and Jack Ralls.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Jean Mead.
To his family, Charlie was a steady presence—strong, principled, and deeply loving. To his country, he was a hero. To all who had the privilege of knowing him, he was a man of honor whose legacy will continue to soar.
James Minter Murphy passed away at home on January 28, 2026, with his wife of over sixty-five years, Sharon (née Farris) at his side, and in the company of his family. A third generation Phoenician, he was born to Ella Mae and James A. Murphy and is preceded in death by his brother, Robert T. Murphy, niece, Molly Elliott (née Murphy) and cousin, Mary Jo Corbin. As was his father before him, Jim was a gentleman to all he met, an active leader in his community and seemingly never had a bad day as you were always greeted with a warm, genuine smile.
Jim attended Madison Elementary School, graduated from North Phoenix High, Class of 1955, attended Whittier College in California and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was also a registered land surveyor. After a start at the Arizona State Highway Department, he formed Phoenix Engineering, a civil engineering consulting firm, which he ran with several lifelong friends and Sharon, who handled the front office. Jim completed projects all over Arizona, often flying to outlying counties in his Cessna 182 Skylane. Jim never lost his passion for engineering, surveying, and working with clients old and new.
Jim’s engineering experience dovetailed nicely with real estate development. Beginning in 1971, he started with small residential subdivisions and later participated in projects as diverse as a commercial office building, a resort RV park, small shopping centers and a multi-use development in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Jim also served as a vice president at Del Webb and as a partner in two homebuilding companies. Whether in real estate or engineering, his belief in first “knowing the numbers” contributed to many a project, and he successfully collaborated with a variety of partners over the years.
Aviation occupied a large corner of Jim’s life, having earned his first pilot’s license at age sixteen in Long Beach, California. He went on to fly commercially for Hughes Airwest and most significantly flew with the 161st Arizona Air National Guard unit out of Sky Harbor. Jim flew everything from Piper Cubs, to KC97s, to T38 Talons and the KC135 Stratotanker as a proud Copperhead with the aerial refueling wing at the 161st. His military missions took him around the globe, from Vietnam to Japan to Europe to South America to Hawaii, and he retired a major after 20 years in service. He continued to fly privately into his sixties. He loved the freedom and precision of flight, but it was Jim’s calm demeanor and innate courage that made for an excellent pilot and first-class military officer.
Jim was an active participant in his community, being both a natural leader and possessing a cooperative spirit. He was a member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds, the Phoenix Art Museum’s Men’s Art Council, the president of his HOA community and a member of the first Valley Leadership Group formed in Phoenix. Jim and Sharon were long-time members of the Phoenix Country Club. Jim was a lifelong athlete himself, having lettered in both track and football at North Phoenix High and Whittier College. In later years he coached his children’s sports teams, played tennis with the family, worked on his golf game and took delight in swimming and sailing small boats in the ocean. He attributed his one first place triathlon trophy to having “finally won the war of attrition” as no one else in his age group finished the race.
The family was the true focal point of Jim’s life. Whatever the topic, be it sports, travel, church, holidays or school, Sharon and Jim involved everyone and guided their entire family with love and support. Their shared love of travel and adventure is well documented in their photo albums, but it was the trips with family that dominate the pages, whether a simple weekend in Rocky Point, Mexico or somewhere farther afield. Through it all, Jim was someone who led by example; he never asked you to do something he wouldn’t do or didn’t believe in himself.
Jim is survived by Sharon, his children, Melinda Xanthos (Bob) and Jim Murphy (Lisa), nephew, Bob Murphy (Trevi) and their extended family, the extended Corbin family and three granddaughters, Megan Murphy, Laura Murphy and Alexandra Xanthos. “Papa”, as they called him, adored his granddaughters and was the ringleader in their special pack within the family. He took great pride in their accomplishments and loved them deeply.
A service will be held on February 20, 2026, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church on Central Avenue at 1:30 PM, followed by a reception at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to All Saints’ Episcopal Church.
William Eugene Adams, 92, passed away on February 1, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
A third-generation descendant of Arizona pioneer farmers and ranchers who settled in the state in the 1890s, Bill carried a deep pride in his Arizona heritage throughout his life.
Bill devoted his career to aviation. He served ten years in the United States Air Force flying fighters and cargo aircraft, followed by twelve years with the 161st Air Refueling Wing piloting KC-97 tanker aircraft. In 1966, he joined American Airlines as a commercial airline pilot. Over his distinguished career, he logged more than 17,000 flight hours and held Captain ratings on the Boeing 707, DC-10, DC-9 Super 80, and Learjet. He took great pride in never damaging an aircraft—aside from small arms fire during operations at military airstrips in Vietnam—and never received a flight violation from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Bill was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the Disabled American Veterans, and former President of the Military Officers Association of America. Deeply committed to service, he volunteered for many years at the Veterans Hospital and Flagstaff Medical Center. He was especially dedicated to supporting Arizona’s mentally disabled children through roles on the State Hospital Human Rights Committees, the Board of Directors of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and PLAN of Arizona. He also co-sponsored efforts to bring Crisis Intervention Training to Arizona law enforcement.
In retirement, Bill and his beloved wife, Carol Adams, traveled extensively. Married in July 1955, they shared seventy years together, often spending New Year’s holidays in Hawaii and dividing their time between summers in Flagstaff and winters in Phoenix.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Adams; daughter-in-law, Tracey Redfield-Lyon; grandsons, Connor Adams and Kyle Adams; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A funeral service will be held at North Scottsdale United Methodist Church on March 13 at 10:00 AM, with a reception to follow. Burial will be a private ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.