Donald Dean Elder, age 85, of Springfield, MO passed away in the early morning hours of June 18 ^th , 2021.  He was born in Bloomfield, IA on November 16 ^th , 1935, the son of Inez (Lierow) and Milo Elder.

Don graduated from Ottumwa High School in Ottumwa, IA and joined the US Army in 1958.  He met Suzanne Patricia Bales and married on September 20 ^th , 1968, at Sacred Heart Church in Ottumwa, IA.  They resided in Springfield, MO since 1976.

He had a lifelong career in aviation with Ozark airlines and TWA airlines before he retired in 1992.  He enjoyed travelling with his family, crafting, and gardening. He loved his grandchildren very much; his boys as he referred to them.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his loving wife Suzanne Elder.

Don is survived by his son, Chris (Cammy) Elder of Ozark, MO and his daughter Michelle Brackett of Springfield, MO; grandchildren Layne Brackett and Lance Brackett of Springfield, MO, Dylan Kay of Ozark, MO.

A visitation will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home on June 23 ^rd , 2021, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Graveside Service with Full Military Honors will be held on June 24 ^th , 2021, at 10 a.m. at Missouri Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, at Donation Processing, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014, or https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate .