Obituary for Donald Minden Donald Louis Minden, age 85, husband of Betty June Welch, married for 64 years, made his transition to Spirit on September 27, 2018. Donald entered life on November 19, 1932 in El Cerrito, California son of the late Lysle and Virginia Minden. Don’s interest in aviation, planes and space was evident way back in Elementary School.
He graduated from drawing planes to building them every chance he had- drove his parents and teachers to distraction. His big dream was to fly. When he was drafted during the Korean “Police Action” he had no viable interest in ground warfare, so he joined the Air Force.
After a year in school, he began as a B-25 A&E Mechanic/Flight engineer/Crew chief and then moved up through B-29’s to B-47s and then onto F-94s and F-89s. He met and fell in love with his wife Betty. With a family on the way, they returned home to California where he pursued an EE degree while working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as an Aeronautical Research Technician.
(This was to become NASA in a few short years). Don and his wife Betty retired to Las Cruces, New Mexico after spending half their careers in the Middle East. Don joined the Air Force in 1951 and served through 1955 as Flight Engineer.
Don was a senior advisor to the Imperial Iranian Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force. Prior to his overseas experience, Don managed the Lockheed Missile and Space Company’s R&D Instrumentation Laboratory before transferring to the Missile System’s Education Department as an Engineering Instructor. Don was awarded several US Patents and authored many manuals used by both the US Air Force and US Navy.
Don is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Dale of Sacramento, California and Robert of Los Gatos, California and Sister Beverly Machtig of Libertyville, Ill. Donald is survived by his wife Betty, daughters Donna Stryker and husband Harry of Las Cruces, Kimberly Minden of Austin TX, and grandsons Joseph Pfeiffer and wife Shawna, Bruce Pfeiffer of Oroville, California, Brian and Rachel Stryker of Chicago, Ill, and Adam and Shannon Stryker of Lynnwood, WA. He had 4 great grandchildren, Addison Stryker, Dash Stryker, Jackson Pfeiffer and Rose Stryker.
He also leaved behind one brother Kenneth Minden and wife Donna of Vancouver Washington. There will be a celebration of his life on April 14, 2019 beginning at 1:00 pm at Wellspring Church at 140 W. Taylor Rd. Las Cruces, NM 88005.
Followed by the dedication of the Ritchy-Minden Garden. To send flowers to the family of Donald Minden, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
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