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BORN
1945
DIED
2025
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Donald Ellermann Obituary
Don met and married Caroline Goff in 1969, while in the military. He loved the ten years he served between the Army and Army National Guard. He served in Vietnam and left the army as a major. Throughout his life, he had a passion for studying history and the military.
An education was a priority in Don's life and for his family. He earned both an Electrical Engineering degree and Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona. After five years of private practice, he was hired by Hughes Aircraft (later becoming Raytheon). After 25 years he retired as Vice President and General Counsel for Raytheon Missile Company. While retired, he engaged in ham radio and became certified to teach high school math and physics. After a period of teaching, he and Caroline returned to Hawaii for her work.
Don and Caroline raised three children: Todd (Kristin) Ellermann, Jenna Wilson, and Trevor Ellermann. Don taught his children to love many activities he was passionate about - scuba diving, snow and water skiing, fishing, 4-H, and scouting. More than any of those hobbies, he loved his family. His grandest joy became spending time with his grandchildren: Jenna's daughter Lena, and Todd and Kristin's children Trinity, Kira, and Zenzi. He was extremely proud of all of them.
Don was preceded in death by his parents Viola and Herbert Ellermann and his sister Janice Reesing. He is survived by his wife Caroline, stepmother Kay Ellermann, brother Larry (Pat) Ellermann, and brother-in-law Glenn Reesing, his children, and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by many friends and his family.
Memorial Service and Internment: October 3, 2025 at 1:30 p.m., East Lawn Palms Cemetery. 5801 E. Grant Road, Tucson AZ.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Donald Ellermann
2 Entries
Jerry Knoski
October 3, 2025
I would like to extend my sincere sympathy to Don´s loved ones. He was a great leader at Hughes Aircraft Company.
John Bechman
September 22, 2025
Don was a great friend and mentor. Here are some of my memories.
At one time I asked Don that if I got a law degree, would he hire me onto his staff. He told me, as an engineer, I would be much happier doing engineering and not lawyering. I dropped the degree aspirations.
He always told me never to sign something that I didn't have to sign. When I took the VP job at L3, he asked me to sign a NDA. I asked him if I needed to sign it. He said , "No." So I said that someone once told me never to sign anything that I did not need to. He said that he still would like me to sign it. I teased him for about two weeks before I signed it and then only because he was a friend.
Another time, I believe Trevor, has a school project to do. Trevor wanted to see what Hughes was like. Don asked me to get Trevor into the plant which violated a bunch of security regs. I did it and in about an hour, I had three security guards expressing their extreme concerns about me breaking the rules. I told them that I let in Trevor as a favor for a friend. They asked who was that. I said Don Ellerman. They sighed and just asked me to hurry it up.
I also have many others tales that are often amusing, but he was always someone that I could depend on.
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East Lawn Palms Mortuary & Cemetery5801 East Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85712
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