Lt. Col. Veronica J. "Vern" Hutfles

Air Force Lt. Col. Veronica J. "Vern" Hutfles of Bellevue, Neb., died, April 7 at her home, following a seven-year battle with melanoma. She was 37.

Hutfles had been assigned to the Lab as an Air Force Fellow from August 2009 to July 2010. During her time at LLNL, she interacted with scientists and engineers regarding Air Force nuclear weapons issues and conventional weapons developments. She was instrumental in helping U.S. Central Command understand Laboratory capabilities that resulted in the development of the low collateral conventional bomb, the BLU-129/B.

Hutfles was born in Morris, Ill. on Oct. 22, 1974, the daughter of John H. and Theresa Grotovsky Hutfles. She grew up in Seneca, Ill. and attended Seneca Grade School and High School, graduating in 1992.

After high school she entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, playing on the women's varsity basketball team. In 1996 she received her bachelor's degree in engineering sciences from the Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

Hutfles served as a combat B-52 bomber pilot on operational missions over Afghanistan with more 250 combat hours, before moving on to serve as Air Liaison Officer supporting the U.S. Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. She served on the Air Combat Command Commander's Advisory Group before completing a fellowship at LLNL. Her final assignment was on Strategic Command's Headquarters Staff at Offutt AFB, Neb.

Hutfles was promoted to her final rank of Lieutenant Colonel on June 1, 2011, and served with honor on active duty. During her career she was decorated with many medals and awards.

She was preceded in death by her father John; and her grandparents, Ernest and Augusta Boeckman Hutfles, and James and Anna Grotovsky.

She is survived by her mother Theresa of Centralia, Kansas; three brothers, Retired Air Force Major Anthony Hutfles of San Antonio, Texas, Air Force Lt. Colonel Gary Hutfles of Springfield, Va. and Steven Hutfles of Fredonia, Kan.; two sisters, Janet Hutfles of Overland Park, Kan., and Joanne (Cory) Hernandez of Parsons, Tenn.; several nieces and nephews; and friend, Dave Cardillo of Billings, Mont.

Rosaries will be at 2 and 7 p.m., April 13 in Seneca, Kan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m., April 14, at St. Bede's Church in Kelly, Kan. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given for the Wounded Warriors Foundation and/or the American Melanoma Foundation, which can be sent in care of the family.