Donald Lee Wadsworth

Major Donald L. Wadsworth, USAF (Rtd.) Major Donald L. Wadsworth, USAF (Rtd.), passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 7, 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Don was born on April 4, 1934 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the second son of Peter and Marcella Wadsworth. His family soon moved to Morgantown where Don grew up and went onto earn a BS in Business from West Virginia University. He was a member of the ROTC and played the clarinet in the Mountaineer Marching Band. There he met his future bride, Nancy C. Chalmers, his wife of fifty-four years. They honeymooned in Bermuda, which later became their home as Don's first assignment upon graduating from Officer's Training School with the United States Air Force was as a hurricane hunter with the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. Later his work took them to Langley AFB, Virginia where he served with the 427th Air Refueling Squadron. Don served in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1966. Subsequent career moves took them to Dyess AFB, Texas, and Mildenhall, England where earned his wings as a Master Navigator. They returned to Abilene where Don retired in 1977. His second career, as the Maintenance Engineer for Dillard's Department Store, spanned 16 years and when he retired again in 1999, he committed himself to his lifelong love of hunting and sporting clays. He competed in tournaments, winning many of them, and despite the advancement of his cancer was able to shoot just three weeks ago. Don is survived by his wife, Nancy Wadsworth of Abilene; his brother, Maurice Wadsworth and his wife Joanne of Mechanicsburg, PA; three children, Tom Wadsworth and his wife Lorri of Abilene, Judy Wadsworth Curran and her husband Tom of Austin, and Amy E. Ribelin of Austin. He was also the proud grandfather of seven grandchildren, Lauren, Ben, Robin, Sydney, Jillian, Meredith and Samantha Grace. The family wishes to express their heart felt gratitude to all of Don's physicians, nurses and caregivers who helped him overcome incredible odds these past six years. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Burial, with Military Honors, will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Cancer Society, IntegraCare Health and Hospice of Abilene, or to the American Heart Association.