CMSGT. BLAS "JOE" OCHOA U.S. Air Force, Retired

CMSgt Blas “Joe” Ochoa, U.S. Air Force (ret.), of Las Vegas, passed into the arms of our Lord March 12, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. Born and raised in southern California, he traveled, lived and served his country all over the world in his 30-year distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force. Retiring as Chief Master Sergeant from Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, South Dakota, Joe and Kika moved to Las Vegas, where he embarked on a second career in the United States Civil Service as an Environmentalist at Nellis Air Force Base. Upon his second retirement in 1995, he and Kika stayed busier than ever, traveling, spending time with family, enjoying his life-long love of baseball, always learning, reading, teaching himself something new. Joe had a long life, well-lived, devoted to his faith, his family and his country. He was preceded in death by his parents, Blas and Juana; stepmother, Nina; and brother, Neftali. Joe is survived by his loving wife, of 64 years, Frances “Kika;” sons, Joe, Phil (Mary) and Rich (Aida); grandson, Richard Alfredo; brothers, Ben (Julia), Elly (Debbie), Sam (Sandra), David (Myrka), John, Tim (Deborah) and Steven (Rosemary); and sisters, Lily (Larry) Bloesma, Priscilla (Mauricio) Leiva, Rachel (Augie) Ramirez, Becky (Paul) Nagy and Debbie (Larry) Underwood. Services will be private.