DONALD L. VERNON

1930 - 2017

Donald L. Vernon, 86, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017. He was born in Springfield, MO, in 1930 to Marjorie K. (Brady) Vernon and James H. Vernon. He graduated from Springfield Central High School, class of '48. Don's college plan was to earn his academics at Drury College in Springfield and then to enroll at the Kansas City Art Institute. But after two years at Drury, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. The Korean War was on. He had dreams of becoming a pilot. Right after basic training, Don was among recruits chosen for a special classified mission, setting up seismic stations in the far corners of the world to monitor Russia's atom bomb testing program. This was just too good to pass up. Don spent his four- year enlistment working with this group. The duty took him to California; Washington, DC; the Nevada desert; Oklahoma; Thule, Greenland; and then Wyoming. For their commendable work each member of the group was awarded a "Unit Citation." The day after discharge from the service, he married Darla Moore in Wyoming. In 1954 he enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he earned a B.A. in Commercial Design. The marriage eventually produced three children: Michelle, Mark and Lisa. During the school years he worked at several sign shops and for Hallmark Cards. He then free-lanced while looking for a career job. In 1957 he was "discovered" by Hal Sandy, who had a small but creative sales promotion agency. Thirty-six years later, Don retired from Sandy, Inc. after having advanced to Vice-President and becoming part owner of the company. Don's second marriage was in 1981 to Ann (Smiley) Havlicek, art director for the Stuart Hall Company. In 1993, Ann and Don formed their own free-lance company, Vernon & Assoc., and worked out of their home. After a few years, Don began to taper off with design work and began to produce fine-art paintings. His chosen medium was pastels; he mounted three successful one-man shows. Don and Ann loved to travel and it was their favorite thing to do together. He was an avid tennis player and downhill skier; he won a silver medal in the NASTAR national slalom system and achieved his personal goal of skiing beyond the age of 70. He loved baseball and grew up listening to the St. Louis Cardinals on radio. Later, he was an avid fan of the KC Royals. Don served two terms as City Councilman for Westwood Hills, KS. He volunteered at special events at the Toy & Miniature Museum, and produced over 100 banners for Country Club United Methodist Church, where he was a member. In the last 17 years of his life he battled Parkinson's disease. He never developed a tremor so he was able to continue drawing almost to the end. Don is survived by wife, Ann, his three children, two grandsons, several great-grands, beloved cousins, and his brother, Jack. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the church, 57th and Wornall Road. In lieu of flowers, Don suggested a donation to the Nat'l Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland.