Donald Robertson Cary

Donald R. Cary, born October 31, 1926, passed from his earthly home to his heavenly reward on August 11, 2017 at the age of 90, as a result of too many birthdays. Memorial Service: 11:30 a.m. Saturday, August 19, at St. Alban's Anglican Church, 911 S. Davis Drive, Arlington. Don lived a very independent life up until a few weeks ago when he was diagnosed with cancer. He received the news with his typical analytical approach. He decided he had lived a long full life and didn't like the idea of dealing with a difficult cancer treatment. He determined he was ready to go, was at peace with death and died peacefully in his sleep. Don was born In New Orleans and his early life consisted of working at his father's print shop, Cary Press, on Decatur St. in the heart of New Orleans' historic French Quarter. He was a Boy Scout and a Sea Scout on Lake Ponchatrain. At the age of 14, he and his Sea Scout troop restored a retired Naval military vessel and navigated it down the Mississippi River, into the Gulf of Mexico, to a port in Biloxi, Mississippi and back. Don enlisted in the Navy in February 1945 and was in weapons training in Florida when WW II ended. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned home to begin his college career at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now the University of Louisiana Lafayette - Ragin' Cajuns). It was there he met Treasure Williams and they were married on August 13, 1950. He graduated in May, 1953 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in physics. Don spent the last 42 years of his work career at LTV (now Lockheed Martin) in Grand Prairie as an aerospace engineer. LTV, as a major government contractor, gave Don the opportunity to work on many pioneering space projects such as the Scout Program and the San Marco Project traveling to Kenya, Africa for many of the launches. The San Marco Project proved theory of the existence of black holes in space. Don participated in many early launches of the space program from Cape Canaveral and then Cape Kennedy, Florida. Don's expertise was designing electronic systems within the space program, nuclear powered submarines and sophisticated military weaponry. He and Treasure had celebrated 57 years of marriage before she passed away in 2007. They successfully raised a full family with children John, Lynn, Paul and Stuart. Don faithfully cared for Treasure at home during her final years with Alzheimer's. Don had many interesting experiences and enjoyed telling tales to his grandchildren and great grandchildren who said “Grandad” was the smartest man they had ever met. He was loved, respected and will be remembered fondly. Rest in peace. We love you. Don was preceded in death by his wife, Treasure Williams Cary; brother, Burton Ray Cary Sr.; and grandson, John Leslie Morris. Sons, John Cary and wife, Cindi; Paul Cary and wife, Angela; and Stuart Cary; daughter, Lynn Morris and husband, Audie; grandchildren, Kelsey Cary, Cragon Swetnam and husband, Will, Kurien Cary, Madison Cary, April Cowling and husband, Corey; and great-grandchildren, John Cowling and Carson Cowling. Wade family Funeral Home 817-274-9233