It is with great sadness that the Edmon family announces the passing of MSGT Donald Wilson Edmon (RET) from Ashland, Kentucky.  Donald, born on October 27, 1924, took his final flight to the skies on August 18, 2021, at home, with his children by his side at the age of 96.  Donald enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served his country during WWII as a right side waist gunner in the Mighty 8th Air Force, 390th bomb group, 569th squadron and flew 33 combat missions over Europe.  After the war, Donald re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force until he retired in 1969.

Donald met his first wife, Patricia Lucille Treadway, while he was in Denver, Colorado attending armament school in 1944 at Lowry Air Force Base. After the war, he was transferred to Seattle, Washington where Patricia and Donald got married.  Donald subsequently got stationed at Haneda Air base in Tokyo, Japan where his first daughter, Claudia "Dia" Cluff, was born on May 13, 1950.  Donald recalled living in a military compound right in front of the emperor's palace.  Donald took up auto racing and established one of Japan's first sports car clubs.  After Tokyo, Donald got transferred to West Palm Beach, Florida and then was stationed for a year at Suwon, South Korea during the occupation after the Korean War ended in 1953.

With the outbreak of the Cold War and the Soviet threat increasing, Donald and his family were then stationed at the Laon-Couvron Air Base to help meet European defense needs. They lived outside of Laon, France in a village named Vorges where Donald developed a love of European life and architecture. One of Donald's favorite memories of living in Europe was attending the Brussels Worlds Fair, Expo 58.

Donald was stationed in England twice.  The first time he was in Framlingham, England during the war. He recalled exceptionally dark evenings when city lights would intentionally remain unlit to avoid becoming targets to Nazi bombers, only intensified by the famously thick London fog that further blanketed the city. Donald's last tour was at the Royal Air Force base in Alconbury, England.  He remembered the beauty of the countryside, the charming villages and towns, and London.  At RAF Alconbury, Donald was Chariman of the Morale Committee and enjoyed bringing class acts like Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and others to the club for long nights of dinner and dancing.

Upon their return to the US, Donald and Patricia divorced. Donald was soon after introduced through mutual friends to a beautiful Mexian-American brunette named Emilia Mytyl Rubio Levin, in San Francisco, California.  This was definitely love at first sight and after a few dates, Donald sought the blessing of Emilia's mother, Luz Alba, for marriage.  Donald and Emilia were married in 1972 and blessed with two children, Melissa born on October 7, 1975 and Donald Jr. born on September 13, 1977, both at the Presidio Army Base at Letterman Hospital.

The family lived on Jones Street between Lombard and Chestnut, just a block from the world famous crookedest street and overlooking Alcatraz Island from their hilltop home. After many years living in the North Beach, the family moved to the heart of the city, across from the Mission Dolores Basilica on the beautiful palm tree-lined Dolores Street. Donald and Emilia enjoyed living the good life in San Francisco frequently attending the San Francisco Ballet, Symphony and Opera as season ticket holders, as well as picnicking at Sterns Grove for summer concerts and at Sear's Point Raceway in Sonoma for automobile races.

Although Donald and Emilia separated in 1999, they remained married and always thereafter shared a special loving and amicable bond together. Donald spent several golden years of retirement on his own in Guadalajara, Mexico. He joined the American Legion, Post 3, in Guadalajara, Mexico where he enjoyed camaraderie with other expats, salsa dancing, margarita drinking, and breakfasting at Sanborn's with his buddies.  In 2011, Donald and Emilia purchased a home in Walnut Creek, CA enabling them to live closer to their children and grand-children.  When Don's physical condition required more assistance, his daughter Melissa relocated him to Brooklyn, NY where she lives with her family.  There, Donald came full circle, and lived in an apartment on Shore Road overlooking the Verrazzano Bridge, the same bridge under which he sailed off to World War II on the Queen Elizabeth more than 70 years ago!

Donald lived life to the fullest and said that the key to life is to "be positive," noting that a daily martini and occasional cigar also helped!  He was always a very dapper dresser whose impeccable taste in clothes lasted throughout his life.  He prided himself on always being well dressed for the occasion and being a gentleman through and through.  Donald's passion for sports cars was a lifelong journey, some of his favorite automobiles were a Packard 120 convertible, a red MG TD, and a Riley 2.5 litre DropHead Coupe.  Donald drove one of these cars in rallies in Victorville, California, where he established another Sports Car Club called the Victor Valley Sports Car Club.  Donald considered himself to be a lucky man, loved by his family, respected and thanked everywhere he went for his service to his country.  He had the opportunity to live all over the world from the blue hills of Ashland, Kentucky to Framlingham, England, Vorges, France, Tokyo, Japan, Suwon, South Korea and Guadalajara, Mexico and on U.S. soil in Seattle, Washington, Denver, Colorado, Miami, Florida, San Francisco and Walnut Creek, California, and Brooklyn, New York, finally passing away peacefully in the beautiful hills of Austerlitz, New York.

Donald is survived by his wife, Emilia Mytyl Edmon, and his first daughter Claudia "Dia" Cluff, he was preceded in death by his son-in-law Curtis Cluff, he is also survived by his second daughter Melissa Edmon Slotnick and son-in-law Josiah Slotnick, his only son Donald Wilson Edmon II, and his grandchildren Heather Cluff Blanchard and husband Howard Edgar Blanchard III,  Reagan Cluff Whitfield and husband Matt Whitfield, Joshua Kendrick Edmon-Macias, Maya Luz Slotnick, Liliana Mary Slotnick, and Jacob Clark Slotnick, as well as by his great grandchildren Mackenzie Reese Blanchard, Lauren Noelle Blanchard, Mary Claire Whitfield, Jake Curtis Whitfield, and Lane Cluff Whitfield.

Relatives and friends will celebrate the life of Donald in a small memorial on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at Wenk Funeral Home in Chatham, NY.  Following Donald's wishes he  will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors when it is his turn and the family please visit all who knew him are welcome.  For online condolences and communication with wenkfuneralhome.com.