DONALD GIES

Donald G. Gies

of Longview Farms Wilmington, DE passed away on May 19, 2008, at the age of 86.

He was born in Baltimore, MD on April 16, 1922 one of 11 children of Walter G. and Regina Gies. He graduated from Arundel High School in Millersville, MD in 1940. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and later graduated from the University of Maryland in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. He then served in the Korean War and returned home to marry in September of 1952 Mary Rita (Dorr) Meininger a high school classmate who by then was a war widow with two sons. They set up their home in Middle River, Maryland where Donald worked as a draftsman for the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company. After giving birth to four children, the family moved to Angola, Indiana where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tri State College. He then embarked on a long career with the Boeing Company. His first assignment was in Seattle, Washington as an engineer on the Boeing 707, the first commercial jet aircraft built by Boeing. His later assignments with Boeing included working on Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems and the Saturn V rocket that powered the Apollo Capsule that first took the men to the moon. His last Boeing assignment brought him to the Wilmington, DE/Philadelphia area to work at Boeing Vertol as an engineer on helicopter design and production. He was later employed as an engineer at the Philadelphia Navy Yard where he retired at the age of 70. In parallel with his engineering career, he served as an officer in the US Air Force Reserves where he achieved the rank of Colonel by the time he retired in 1981. His Air Force career included attending the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama where he concurrently earned a Masters of Political Science from Auburn University. His professional accomplishments include the Patent issued for his invention of a nautical weather station/data buoy. He moved his family to Wilmington, DE in 1968 where he became an active member of the Holy Rosary Parish Community including singing in the choir and serving as a Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He also became active in third party political campaigns including running against William B. Roth for the US Senate in Delaware and Pierre S. DuPont IV for the US House Representatives.

He was preceded by his wife, Mary Rita of 31 years who passed away in October 1983 of breast cancer. He is survived by 8 children including 2 sons from his widowed wife's previous marriage, John D. Meininger of Silver Spring, MD, William E. Meininger of Baltimore, MD, his oldest daughter Mary A. Della Fera of Pickens, SC, Donald G. Gies, Jr. of Colfax, NC, Donna Marie Connor of Middletown, DE, Mary Beth Miller of Newark, DE, Walter G. Gies II of Parkesburg, PA and Joseph G. Gies of Wilmington, De. He is also survived by 25 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and his second wife, Edna of Philadelphia.

Friends may call on Thursday, May 22, between the hours of 10 am to 11:30 am at Gebhart Funeral Home, 3401 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be offered at 12 noon, at Holy Rosary Church, 3200 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, DE. Interment will be held on Saturday, May 24, at Our Lady of the Fields Church in Millersville, MD.

Online condolences

may be made by visiting

www.griecofuneralhomes.com

GEBHART

FUNERAL HOMES

Of Claymont, DE

(302) 798-7726

"A Grieco Family

Funeral Home"