Don Lee Walsh's Obituary
Don Lee Walsh was born on July 31, 1936, in Trinity County, California.
Don spoke often about his youth in the Trinity Alps, fishing, riding horses, dancing, and learning every inch of the mountains and streams. At age fourteen, he lied and claimed he was eighteen years old so that he could volunteer to fight forest fires. He did the terrifying work for two years before he was placed on the payroll. Don was a natural leader and incredibly brave. Fearless is often a word people used to describe him.
As a teenager, Don was a bit of a prankster. He and his best friend went a little too far one day, and their high school principal cut them a deal: enlist in the military and he’d hand them their diplomas. Off the boys went to San Francisco to enlist in the French Foreign Legion. Unable to locate the office, they decided the Air Force was a good second choice. In 1954, Don joined the United States Air Force, where he excelled and found his passion. He graduated from Officer Candidacy School in 1959 and immediately entered flight school. Don flew B-52 bombers, and he and his comrades, “the best damned bombing crew in the Air Force,” earned USAF’s Fairchild Trophy.
In 1965, Don began his career with American Airlines and joined the New York Air National Guard, flying the F-100. Later, with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Don flew the C-119, albeit with less enthusiasm.
On September 23, 1966, Don married Marilyn. Both Don and Marilyn brought children to the union: Marilyn had two sons (Jeff and Mike), and Don had two sons (twins Keith and Ken) and three daughters (Holly, Linda, and Anita). In 1970 Don and Marilyn had their daughter Deborah. In 1973, the family moved to Richardson, Texas and made it their home.
Don traveled extensively, and he loved learning new things and sharing them with others. He taught himself French, Spanish, how to sail, coach soccer, and flyfish. He shared his skills with his loved ones, too, as well as countless stories. Don remembered every joke he ever heard, and he was a wonderful storyteller. He had a warm smile, a contagious laugh, and he knew how to make people feel at ease.
Don flew about every airplane in American Airlines’ fleet. There was no aircraft he wouldn’t master. As he famously said, “Quart of whiskey and a full tank, and I can fly this sumbitch anywhere.”
For many years, American Airlines exhibited immeasurably poor judgement by forcing pilots to retire at age sixty. It was a day Don dreaded. After retirement, Don engaged in serving his community. He volunteered at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas. He was one of the founders of the Robert Burns Night fundraiser for the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, and he chaired the committee every year, until passing the torch in 2023 due to his injury.
Don was preceded in death by his father Asa Walsh and his mother Doris Chapman. He is survived by too many loved ones to name: his wife Marilyn, all his children and their spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, cousins, and aunts and uncles. He is also survived by numerous friends who will miss his kindness and wisdom.
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