Donald F. McDonnell

On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, MAJ (Ret) Donald F. McDonnell, our dear father, passed away at the age of eighty-three in Calera, AL at home with his family. He began life far away in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland in 1940, where he was deeply loved, and he skipped school whenever possible. In 1961, he joined his older brother in Boston to begin a new adventure-becoming American. The US government helped out by drafting him into the US Army, where he spent 26 years serving his adopted country. In that time, he trained as a meteorologist and flew combat missions in Vietnam—where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and a Bronze Star. After receiving a battlefield commission in 1968, he returned to combat a few years later as an Infantry Officer. During this time, he met his partner of 53 years, Wyann Simmons, who survives him. Together, they raised three children: Kyle, Adrea, and Julie. They settled in Enterprise, AL for more than 30 years.

After retiring from the army, Donald continued his storied career as a flight commander with RWIFEC, instilling new generations of helicopter pilots with his knowledge, his advice, and his hilarious one-liners. He finally retired in 2017 after 27 years and busied himself doing various household DIY projects, grilling and smoking an enormous amount of meat, and making plants grow on his deck. As a grandfather to Isabella, Samuel, Jake, Donovan, Finian, and Kylanne, he found his best self by making them laugh.

A public viewing and funeral mass will be held on 12 September 2024 at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 80 St Thomas Way, Montevallo, AL, beginning at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will be held at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo at 14:00. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to American’s Gold Star Families or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.