Don was born May 21, 1932 in Mode, IL to Harley Ray and Beulah Marie (Standerfer) Jenkins. He married Shirley O. Garrett on January 26, 1953 in Charleston, IL.
Don served in the United States Air Force from 1950 until he retired in 1970 as a Senior Master Sergeant. He was stationed all over the world including Texas, Illinois, South Korea, Hawaii, Germany, New Jersey, France, England, South Carolina, Vietnam, and ultimately retired at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Kansas City, Missouri.
After Don retired from the Air Force, he and Shirley settled in Lee’s Summit, MO. His civilian career included working in construction as a heavy equipment operator; for the US Postal Service; in the traffic division and shipping and receiving at Ethyl/IMCO/Brockway; and finally at Midwest Research Institute (MRI) in shipping and receiving and the property division.
After retirement, Don and Shirley loved traveling in their RV across the country visiting family, classmates, and service friends.
Don is survived by his wife Shirley, of the home; daughter Jo Goolsby, Rossville, KS; son Ross (Carla), Blue Springs, MO; and son Ronald (Sally), Kansas City, MO; grandchildren Stephen Jenkins (Jordan), Lee’s Summit, MO; Katie Beth Brewer (Chris), Lee’s Summit, MO; Michael Jenkins (Katie), Independence, MO; Hannah Goolsby, Lawrence, KS; and Jordan Goolsby, Lawrence, KS.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Norma Wortman, Shreveport, LA.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, 1500 Meadow Lake Parkway, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64114
