WAKEFIELD — Donald Dwight Gannon, 94, of Wakefield, died peacefully at his home on May 2, surrounded by his beloved family and pets after a long illness.
Born in Malden on Jan. 15, 1921 and raised in Everett, he was the only child of Walter C. and Jennie (May) Gannon.
Mr. Gannon was a graduate of Everett High School, Class of 1939, and Tufts University, Class of 1944. He interrupted his education to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II where he worked in a physics lab doing ballistics research and testing.
He married Louise Simpkins on Feb. 6, 1944.
When he returned from the war, Don completed his BA in Economics and moved his young family to Wakefield where he built his own home using a design his wife Louise had seen in a magazine. He was a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield.
Don worked as a claims adjustor for Amica Insurance for 30 years. He also served as an auxiliary/reserve police officer in the Wakefield Police Department for 25 years in the ‘50s, ‘60s and early ‘70s.
Upon retirement, Don studied real estate and worked as an Associate Broker for Christopher J. Barrett Realtors for seven years.
Don held a number of volunteer posts. He was assistant treasurer and then treasurer of the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation from 1982 to 1998. He was inducted into the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of America Dollars for Scholars National Honor Roll on Nov. 4, 1992.
He also served as the treasurer for the UU Church of Wakefield for a number of years and was the assistant scout master of Boy Scout Troop 708.
Don was an avid golfer for most of his life. He achieved two holes in one and was the winner of a golf tournament held at the Indies Inn on Duck Key, Fla. in 1973. He also loved photography and took thousands of photos of family and friends over his lifetime. He was a top notch cribbage player and was still regularly winning up until the last week of his life.
Donald is survived by his wife of 71 years, Louise S. Gannon; daughter Pamela and son-in-law David Scerra of Campton, N.H., daughter Jennifer of Wakefield and son Peter of Florida. Mr. Gannon was predeceased by his daughter Donna Louise Gannon. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Elizabeth Hemeon of Yarmouthport, brother-in-law Charles Simpkins of Woodinville, Wash., 18 nieces and nephews and his beloved pets, cat Kodiak and dog Blue Bayou.
Interment will be at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, at Lakeside Cemetery, 501 North Ave., Wakefield. Following interment, a memorial service will be held on at 10 a.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Wakefield, 326 Main St., Wakefield.
