DON MCKNIGHT LARSON was born in Collinsville, IL, the son of Willard and Dorothy McKnight Larson. When Don was five years old, the Larson family moved to Canton, IL, where he was very successful as a student and an athlete. In 1950, he graduated from Canton High School, where he had been vice president of his class, a member of the National Honor Society, co-captain of the football team, and captain of the basketball team. Thanks to Don’s many high school accomplishments, he was appointed to West Point and entered the Academy one month after graduating from high school. He was one of the younger members of the Class of ’54.

At West Point, Don was remembered most for his cheerful nature. Under his 1954 Howitzer picture was a statement he had coined: “Happiness is the measure of success.” This phrase became a guiding principle in his life. In November 2004, upon learning of Don’s death, one of his F-1 company mates remembered him as having been “born smiling and exuberant. That’s how I remember him, especially during Plebe year.” Don did well in academics, but he also enjoyed the company of his many friends, including “The Terrible Tigers.”

Commissioned in the Air Force, on Graduation Day, 8 Jun 1954, Don married the love of his life, Joan Healy. Don trained at Bartow, FL; Big Spring, TX; and Perrin Air Force Base in Sherman, TX. He was then assigned to the 324th TAG squadron at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts. With many of his classmates also stationed there, the tour felt like a reunion.

In 1959, Don left the Air Force. He began working in business and became quite successful. Initially, he joined RCA where, among other projects, he worked on the lunar landing module. Part of his responsibility was quality control, and he understood the importance of making sure all went well. In 1970, Don joined Nortel Industries, working primarily in sales and marketing. He advanced through the ranks, became the vice president of marketing and sales for the Mid-Atlantic region, and retired in 1990.

Don traveled all over the country and the world, but he loved New England best. He enjoyed all sports, but he especially loved golf and said his game was always a “work in progress.” He also enjoyed bridge, reading (especially military history), nature, the ocean, and the New England Patriots. He was also thrilled to see the Boston Red Sox “reverse the curse” and win the World Series.

The Larsons attended every five-year reunion at West Point, except the 40th, when Joan was not well. They also made it to F-1 mini-reunions in between, and they always had fun socializing with Don’s companymates. It never ceased to amaze Don that the friendships formed as cadets remained so solid and close. For Don, meeting old classmates seemed like picking up a conversation that had been interrupted just minutes before, despite having not seen that particular person for years.

After Don retired, he and Joan traveled to Portugal, Spain, England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria, and they had made plans for future adventures. Don also loved his home and garden.

Most of all, Don loved his family, with whom he shared many laughs and, of course, some tears. He and Joan were married for 50 years, and he was very supportive of her many and varied activities, including Republican politics. He was truly the wind beneath her wings. The Larsons have four children: Karen McCormick of Rye, NH; Shannon Reilly of Hopkinton, MA; Kristen Kreger of Los Angeles; and Don McKnight Larson II of Wolfeboro, NH. They also have four grandchildren. Joan enjoys having three of their children and the grandchildren living nearby, and she looks forward to visits to the West Coast to see Kristen and her husband.

Don fought lung cancer for more than two years. During a brief period of remission, he and Joan went on their annual trek to Hawaii to visit Ken Bailey, who had been Don’s roommate, best man at their wedding, and godfather to their first daughter. Don and Ken played many hard-fought rounds of golf during those weeks. Don and Joan also traveled to California to surprise their daughter Kristen on her 40th birthday. Later, they traveled to New York City to see some plays and visit family. Don made good use of the time he had. He was particularly happy to attend his 50th Reunion at West Point and march onto the Plain with his classmates.

Don died at home, surrounded by family. His youthful happiness stayed with him throughout his life. He is remembered by all who knew him—his classmates, his fellow Air Force officers, his many friends, and, most of all, his family—as a happy and devoted man.
Well Done!

Don Larson (1932)