Donald LeRoy Kear

Donald LeRoy Kear, age 94, passed away Saturday, October 1, 2016. Born Dec. 6, 1921, Van Wert, OH, his family moved to Dayton in 1933. Don was a proud alumni of Roosevelt High School (1939) and Oklahoma University (1975).

He was a proud WWII veteran. In 1942, he was hired by TWA as a flight radio operator and assigned to the Intercontinental Division Base, Natal, Brazil, where he served on flights between Brazil and Africa for the US Army Air Transport Command. He held an Advanced Class Radio Operator license, call letters W8ARC. In 1943, he was drafted into the Navy, where he continued his electronics training and participated in the development of television used to record wartime maneuvers from military planes. After discharge from the Navy, he returned to Dayton in 1946, and worked at the Defense Electronic Supply Center (DESC), where he was the recipient of many honors for his contributions to Standards Engineering, including the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award. In 1947 Don helped to found the Standards Engineering Society (SES) for Standards Professionals and remained active with SES after his retirement.

Don had a significant presence in the greater Dayton community through his work with his church and social concern. He was the minister for St. Luke's Methodist Church, Fairborn (1958-61) and a founding member of Community United Methodist Church. He helped form Urban People, Inc., a social concerns group focused on the housing needs of Dayton's Appalachian and African American communities; served at the request of Gov. John Gilligan on the Ohio Mental Health Advisory Council; and served on Dayton housing advisory committees and the Miami Valley Regional planning Commission.

After retirement from DESC, he continued community work through his church and other organizations. He was committed to genealogy research and published books on his John Cears Kear lineage. He loved art and music, and continued to sing in the choir at Community United Methodist Church and direct the bell choir until recent years, and also dabbled in painting. He enjoyed travel throughout his life, and his last flight was to Washington DC on Dayton's Honor Flight to honor WWII vets, but he most enjoyed the times when he could be with his family, sharing conversation and food, particularly ice cream.

Preceded in death by his parents Oscar Melville Kear and Florence Adella Potts, and siblings Ralph Kear, Edith Hipsher, & Evelyn Waters, Don is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 73 years, Helen (Hixson) Kear, 5 daughters and son-in-law Donna Karanja, Christy Johnson, Carol Scriven, Laura and John Kolaczkowski, and Kathy Lakes; grandchildren and their spouses David (Holly), Kevin, Ciru, Patrick, James (Anne), Kristin, Jessica (Aaric), Mack (Antoinette), and Matthew (Mandi), 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and special friends.

Don touched many people with his compassion, humor, and unwavering love of his family, friends and his living demonstration of his deep faith. He will be missed and each will keep special memories of moments shared with Don.

Don's family will receive visitors on Friday, October 7, from 12:30-1:30, at Morris Funeral Home, 1771 E. Dorothy Lane. Services led by Pastor F. Merkes will be held at 1:30, followed immediately by burial at Valley View Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Don's memory be made to Community United Methodist Church or Dayton Children's Hospital Endrocrinology Fund.

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