DONALD WAYNE Donald W. Johnson, 80, passed away at home on August 10, 2011, after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was born in Bloomington, IL on May 14, 1931, and grew up in Kokomo, IN. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Charlotte; a daughter Kristin and her husband Jack Johnson; granddaughters Katelyn and Megan Gillis; a stepson Sean Cast and his wife Susie; and grandson Jeremy Cast and his special friend, Raquel Gorospe. Don proudly served in the United States Air Force for three years before attending Purdue University where he graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He was retired from Sandia National Laboratories as a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff. He was a long time member of AIAA, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, where he was awarded the Aerodynamic Decelerator Award for his work in parachute technology in the areas of ribbon parachute development and rocket recovery. He, along with many colleagues, contributed to the development of the NASA Space Shuttle decelerator system. He traveled to many parts of the world to test his design systems, but his favorite was the Kauai Test Range in Hawaii. He retired in 1992 and embarked on the adventure of motor homing. He and Charlotte traveled all over the United States. In 1995, we moved to Grove, Oklahoma to the Grand Lake O' the Cherokees and enjoyed the lake lifestyle for 13 years. He was an active member of the Grand Lake Sail & Power Squadron. In 2008, we decided we missed the Sandias and were really desert and mountain people rather than lake people, and returned to The Land of Enchantment and settled in Rio Rancho. Don especially enjoyed spending time at their cabin in South Fork, CO with friends and family. A Memorial Service and celebration of Don's life will be held Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 2400 Southern Blvd SE, Rio Rancho, NM. Don's cremated remains will be interred in a private family service at the Santa Fe National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Make-a-Wish Foundation or the charity of your choice in memory of Donald W. Johnson. To view service information or leave a condolence, please visit www.danielsfuneral.com Donald's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 2400 Southern Blvd Rio Rancho, New Mexico, 87124 505-891-9192
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