AUBURN — Nathan Christopher (Master Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Ret.), 67, of Merrow Road, passed away Sunday, Aug. 7, in Auburn.

He was born in Auburn, the son Simone Bedard and Albert Beauchesne. He attended local schools, including Sacred Heart Elementary and Edward Little High School. He changed his name from Marcel B. Beauchesne to Nathan Christopher in 1981.

At age 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was to have a distinguished career. He retired after 20 years service.

His military career was exemplary. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star as well as six Air Force Good Conduct Medals each representing three years of good conduct. His overseas assignments included tours of Vietnam, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, France and Germany. He retired in September 1981 as a master sergeant.

The majority of his Air Force career was spent as a radio operator. During four of those years, he was assigned as an airborne radio operator serving with two Air Force special operations units. He spent two years as an Air Force recruiter, serving in Boston. Following training as a computer programmer, (he graduated top of his class), he spent the remaining two years of his Air Force service with an assignment to the Air Force computer software headquarters at Gunter AFS, Montgomery, Ala.

Following his Air Force career, he was employed by Hanes DSD in Atlanta, Ga., as a computer programmer and at Emery-Waterhouse in Portland, as a computer programmer/analyst.

He authored “Parish Manager,” a system of computer programs to manage church memberships.

Survivors include a sister, Madeleine Pursifull of Stow, Ohio; two nephews, William Lovejoy of Magnolia, Texas, and James Lovejoy of Colorado Springs, Colo.; seven great-nieces and nephews; and his oldest and best friend, Roland N. Bergeron of Auburn and the Bergeron family.

He was predeceased by his brother, Armand Beauchesne of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.