David Werner Dornacker

"Fly High, Fly Far, Fly Fast"
David Dornacker
January 13, 1959 - July 1, 2023
David was born to Werner John and Marion Ann (Karnowski) Dornacker in Cudahy, Wisconsin, on January 13, 1959. He grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, with his siblings Denise, Dale and Dori. David had an amazing childhood running and playing with family and friends, only stopping long enough to take a drink from the water hose, and playing until the streetlights came on. David was a prankster through and through, from playing ding dong ditch with his sister, to egging houses with friends, including his own so no one would find out. He would even string toilet paper from mailboxes across from each other to slow down traffic.
David graduated from Greenfield Highschool in Greenfield, Wisconsin, in 1977. At age 18 he set out to join the Navy where he served for 20 years as an air traffic controller. David served several overseas tours, including as the Facility Watch Supervisor (Tower, Radar GCA, Base Ops) at Naval Station Rota, Spain, from 1980-1984. He then moved to Sunnyvale, California, and was the Air Operations Supervisor and CATCC-70 Supervisor on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) from 1984-1987, where he made two long deployments to the Western Pacific. David made Corpus Christi his home while performing the duties of Facility Watch Supervisor (Tower Operations) and Leading Petty Officer at Navy Outlying Field, Orange Grove, Texas, from 1994-1996. David completed his twilight tour with the Navy at the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) Command from 1996-1998, where he served the Admiral as the CNATRA NALO/JOSAC Officer. David retired as an E-6 AC1 (AW)(MTS) in 1998, after 20 years of faithful service to this Nation.
David's tour at CNATRA further kindled his passion for aviation as he was able to take several rides in the T-45 Goshawk at Naval Air Station Kingsville. David pursued his passion for flying and went on to civilian flight training after he retired in 1998. He spent many hours flying his dear friend, David Rowling's, Piper Arrow while also obtaining a bachelor's degree in human resource management from Park University, Parkville, Missouri, (NAS Corpus Christi campus). David graduated in 1999, Magnum Cum Laude. David then pursued a second career as a corporate pilot flying for South Texas Pediatric Cardiology Associates from 1999-2000. David was then hired in 2000, to fly with a regional airline, Continental Express, which eventually became ExpressJet. He earned his Airline Transport Pilot certification in both the ATR-42/72 and the Embraer ERJ135/145 and volunteered to chair several committees for the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA). David flew for 15 years for ExpressJet before retiring in 2014, with 10,502 flight hours.
In 2014, David began his third career with CAE USA as a contract simulator flight instructor for CNATRA. David's background as a Navy Air Traffic Controller led him to becoming an academic instructor, teaching Advanced Instrument Flight Rules (AIFR) and Meteorology. David was grateful for his final career for being able to get back to his Navy roots and combine that with his passion for flying by teaching and mentoring the Naval Aviators of the future.
David met his soon to be wife, Veronica in 2002, when he was looking for an apartment in Euclid, Ohio, where Veronica was a leasing manager. He fell in love with her voice over the phone. They married on September 6, 2003, in a small backyard wedding in Grand River, Ohio. He was the love of her life, her best friend and protector. He considered himself blessed to have met and married Veronica. His wife, family, and friends were very important to him. He cherished the memories made with his family and friends. Although battling with leukemia, David was determined to walk his daughter Marissa down the aisle and have the father daughter dance. He was grateful to have those moments with his family and friends. He leads by example showing love, respect, hard work, and dedication. He also taught the importance of enjoying life and having fun. They will all fondly remember him saying, "that's way to rodeo cowboy cool", "gotcha", "too cool for school"," knock knock", and "another day in paradise".
A loving and passionate man, David had a great sense of humor. With his infectious laugh, he definitely loved to pull pranks. He loved family get together and cook-outs, along with spending time with his ranch family out in Falfurrias, Texas. He enjoyed collecting guns, hunting, flying, fishing, swimming, and taking joy rides on his motorcycle. Any day on the boat was a good one. He loved his dogs, especially the Boston Terriers he lovingly rescued. Passionate about the Navy and flying, he loved collecting anything and everything Navy. He enjoyed any and all chocolate, ketchup cake (red velvet) and a nice smoked bourbon, Shiner Bock, root beer, or orange juice. He loved country music, from Texas country to red dirt country, along with 70s-80s rock, and his favorite song was "Luckenbach Texas" by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. His taste in TV and movies was varied, enjoying Star Trek, Sons of Anarchy, Mayans, and Walking Dead along with movies Top Gun, My Cousin Vinny, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. David was a huge Green Bay Packers fans "Go Pack Go" and would often collect apparel.
David leaves behind his beloved wife Veronica Dornacker; his mother Marion Dornacker; his children Josh and Diane Sewell, Christopher and Adalia Kish, Monique and Emmanuel Brooks, Savannah and Anthony Peña, and Marissa and Marcos Cruz; his grandchildren McKenzie Hablinski, Isabella Kish, Matthew Sewell, and Emma Kish; his siblings Denise and Russ Bargy, Dale and Susan Dornacker, and Dori and Mark Panthofer; and his pets Beau, Brodie, Lucy, and Rudder. He is reunited with his father Werner Dornacker and all the rainbow bridge pups. He will be missed dearly by his wife, kids, family, friends, and shipmates.
In order to honor David's life, a visitation will be held from 6-8 PM on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service - Yorktown Blvd. Gathering will begin at 11 am for a Celebration of Life Service beginning at Noon on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service - Yorktown Blvd. Final Military Honors will begin at 2 PM at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery.
Dornacker1, you are cleared to your final resting place via the Heaven One Departure, climb unrestricted and maintain watch over your loved ones, frequency change approved, squawk eternity. Fair winds and following skies
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