Donald Arthur Slocum

He was born on February 3, 1935, the son of Lorne Roy and Pearle Authora (Wright) Slocum. He lived most of his young life in Cambridge, attending Rindge Technical High School and graduating with a certificate degree in Basic Aeronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1953. He then entered the Air Force, serving actively until 1957 and attaining a rank of Staff Sergeant. He served in the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing, Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron, where he worked as a Radar and Gunsight Electronics Technician on Honeywell bomb systems on fighter interceptor aircraft. He was stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, Matagorda Island AFB, Texas, and Eielson AFB, Alaska. He was put on Active Reserve between 1957 and 1961, when he was honorably discharged from service.

Donald worked as an Electronics Technician at Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company in Boston from 1957 to 1964. In 1961 he married Barbara Clark and they moved to Ashland. In 1964 he became an Engineering Technician with Fenwal, Incorporated in Ashland, and was with Fenwal for 25 years where he worked with thermo-switches and did Quality Assurance Testing. During his employment, he obtained certificates in various engineering and business subjects from Northeastern University, Worcester Junior College, Newbury Junior College, and Keefe Adult Technical and Vocational School. After leaving Fenwal, he worked at Busy Bee Transportation Co., Inc. of Ashland for several years as a transport van driver. In 2006 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and became a resident at Lanessa Extended Care in Webster in 2014. Prior to his life with Alzheimer’s, Donald enjoyed woodworking, traveling, and especially a love of music, and was an accomplished accordion player who played effortlessly by ear.

Donald is survived by a sister, Shirley Lang, of TX; his wife of nearly 55 years, Barbara, of Webster and formerly of Ashland; two daughters, Cynthia Murphy and her husband Bernard "Mick" of Douglas, Heidi Roskuski and her husband Barry of Chicopee; six grandchildren, Jennifer, Megan and Nicole Murphy, Andrew, Daniel and Michael Roskuski; two nephews, Phillip and Stephen Lang both of TX; one niece, Deborah (Lang) Smith of TX.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff at Lanessa, the members of the Alzheimer’s Support Network of Webster, and especially to the ER staff at Harrington Hospital in Webster and the outstanding ICU nurses at Harrington Hospital in Southbridge. The caring and compassion shown by these amazing people is so very much appreciated.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday, May 31, from 5-8PM at the MetroWest Funeral & Cremation Services of Wadsworth-Chiappini, 318 Union Avenue, Framingham.

Funeral services will be held at 10AM on Wednesday, June 1, at the funeral home.

Burial with military honors will follow at Wildwood Cemetery in Ashland.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer's Association: alz.org