Donald McGregor

1925 - 2020

Donald Ross McGregor

Cary

Donald R. McGregor, former resident of Sparta, NJ, passed away peacefully at Spring Arbor of Cary, North Carolina, where he had been living since March 2019 to be near his son and daughter-in-law. He is survived by his first wife, Wilma Jean McGregor, nee: Runyan, his son, David R. McGregor and his wife Ruth, his daughter, Janet E. Han, nee: McGregor, and her husband John, his sister-in-law, 5 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Jean Harter, nee: McGregor, and his second wife, Karen L. McGregor, nee: Lautenschlaeger.

Don was born in Springfield, Ohio, to David Ross McGregor and Bertha Belle Cornell March 6, 1925. Upon graduation from high school in 1943, he joined the US Naval Reserve in 1944 and was assigned to the Naval V-12 Officers Training program. As part of that program, he was sent to Case School of Applied Science and then to Yale University where he graduated first in the class of 1946 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation, he was commissioned as ensign. He remained on inactive reserve in the Navy until his discharge in 1959. In 1946 he married Wilma Jean Runyan of Springfield, Ohio, his high school sweetheart. They divorced in 1982. He then married his second wife, Karen, in the same year.

In 1946 he joined E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company working in Rayon® research. He was involved in the planning and construction of the DuPont Mylar plant in Circleville, Ohio, and was area supervisor for 5 years after the plant startup. He then transferred to the DuPont research facility in Niagara Falls, New York. He resigned from DuPont in 1967 and went to work for Celanese in northern New Jersey. After leaving Celanese, he worked for Glass Labs and finished his career as Vice President of Research and Development at Sealed Air Corporation, Inc.

Don obtained his amateur radio operator Extra Class license in 1976 and served with the county level of the national emergency management forces. In later years he built much of his radio equipment from scratch and remained active until a few years before his passing. He was an avid fisherman who taught his son to fish. He also enjoyed grouse, pheasant and quail hunting with his father and his son. He was a skilled trap and skeet shooter who competed in many competitions. He was a great husband and father and will be remembered fondly.

Don's arrangements are held with Apex Funeral Home.