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DON MCKNIGHT LARSON was born in
Collinsville, IL, the son of Willard and
Dorothy McKnight Larson. When Don was
five years old, the Larson family moved to
Canton, IL, where he was very successful as
a student and an athlete. In 1950, he graduated
from Canton High School, where he had
been vice president of his class, a member of
the National Honor Society, co-captain of
the football team, and captain of the basketball
team. Thanks to Don’s many high school
accomplishments, he was appointed to West
Point and entered the Academy one month
after graduating from high school. He was one
of the younger members of the Class of ’54.
At West Point, Don was remembered
most for his cheerful nature. Under his 1954
Howitzer picture was a statement he had
coined: “Happiness is the measure of success.”
This phrase became a guiding principle
in his life. In November 2004, upon learning
of Don’s death, one of his F-1 company
mates remembered him as having been “born
smiling and exuberant. That’s how I remember
him, especially during Plebe year.” Don
did well in academics, but he also enjoyed the
company of his many friends, including “The
Terrible Tigers.”
Commissioned in the Air Force, on
Graduation Day, 8 Jun 1954, Don married
the love of his life, Joan Healy. Don trained
at Bartow, FL; Big Spring, TX; and Perrin
Air Force Base in Sherman, TX. He was
then assigned to the 324th TAG squadron
at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
With many of his classmates also stationed
there, the tour felt like a reunion.
In 1959, Don left the Air Force. He began
working in business and became quite successful.
Initially, he joined RCA where, among
other projects, he worked on the lunar landing
module. Part of his responsibility was quality
control, and he understood the importance
of making sure all went well. In 1970, Don
joined Nortel Industries, working primarily
in sales and marketing. He advanced through
the ranks, became the vice president of marketing
and sales for the Mid-Atlantic region,
and retired in 1990.
Don traveled all over the country and
the world, but he loved New England best.
He enjoyed all sports, but he especially loved
golf and said his game was always a “work in
progress.” He also enjoyed bridge, reading (especially
military history), nature, the ocean,
and the New England Patriots. He was also
thrilled to see the Boston Red Sox “reverse the
curse” and win the World Series.
The Larsons attended every five-year reunion
at West Point, except the 40th, when
Joan was not well. They also made it to F-1
mini-reunions in between, and they always
had fun socializing with Don’s companymates.
It never ceased to amaze Don that
the friendships formed as cadets remained so
solid and close. For Don, meeting old classmates
seemed like picking up a conversation
that had been interrupted just minutes before,
despite having not seen that particular
person for years.
After Don retired, he and Joan traveled to
Portugal, Spain, England, Ireland, Germany,
Italy, France, Poland, Hungary, the Czech
Republic and Austria, and they had made
plans for future adventures. Don also loved his
home and garden.
Most of all, Don loved his family, with
whom he shared many laughs and, of course,
some tears. He and Joan were married for 50
years, and he was very supportive of her many
and varied activities, including Republican
politics. He was truly the wind beneath her
wings. The Larsons have four children: Karen
McCormick of Rye, NH; Shannon Reilly
of Hopkinton, MA; Kristen Kreger of Los
Angeles; and Don McKnight Larson II of
Wolfeboro, NH. They also have four grandchildren.
Joan enjoys having three of their
children and the grandchildren living nearby,
and she looks forward to visits to the West
Coast to see Kristen and her husband.
Don fought lung cancer for more than
two years. During a brief period of remission,
he and Joan went on their annual trek
to Hawaii to visit Ken Bailey, who had been
Don’s roommate, best man at their wedding,
and godfather to their first daughter. Don and
Ken played many hard-fought rounds of golf
during those weeks. Don and Joan also traveled
to California to surprise their daughter
Kristen on her 40th birthday. Later, they traveled
to New York City to see some plays and
visit family. Don made good use of the time
he had. He was particularly happy to attend
his 50th Reunion at West Point and march
onto the Plain with his classmates.
Don died at home, surrounded by family.
His youthful happiness stayed with him
throughout his life. He is remembered by all
who knew him—his classmates, his fellow Air
Force officers, his many friends, and, most of
all, his family—as a happy and devoted man.
Well Done!
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