Donald Infante

He enjoyed his final months at the Regency Oaks Senior Living Health Center in Clearwater, Florida where God decided it was his time.

The oldest son of Michael and Fannie Infante, Don was born May 2, 1937 in Youngstown, Ohio in a working class family, his father a steel worker and his mother a seamstress. He got a job as a busboy at a local Isaly's dairy store at the age of fourteen ending up as night shift manager during college years. He graduated from Austintown Fitch high school and in 1956 received a degree in mathematics from Youngstown State University in the Army ROTC program. It was at Isaly’s where Don would meet the love of his life, NormaJean Barchie. Don taught mathematics and coached basketball after college graduation. The couple married on May 9, 1959, and commenced their life together at Fort Bliss Texas, where Don began Army service as a Second Lieutenant. Don would later receive a Master of Science degree in Operations Research and Statistics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1986, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from Youngstown State University for outstanding civilian achievement.

Don and NormaJean enjoyed over thirty years of Army life with tours of duty in the United States, Germany, South Korea, and Vietnam. Promoted to a Major General the Infante’s returned to Fort Bliss in 1985. From their return until his retirement from the Army, Don served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, and as Commandant of the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School. In that post, he formulated and executed Airland Battle doctrine, was the chief architect for Air Defense Modernization Planning, and was the Army's chief user for all air defense weaponry and command and control systems.

His previous Army assignments included Air Defense Project Manager for the U.S. Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, where he served as the Army’s chief developer for all air defense weaponry, and command and control systems; U.S. Army Program Manager for the Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile System; Deputy Commanding General of the 32nd Army Air Defense Command U.S. Army Europe, and many other posts dealing with the formulation of air and land battle doctrine and the development and fielding of complex weapons systems with extensive expertise in the air defense arena.

Don was a much-loved husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, whose compassion, kindness, and tenderness warmed the hearts of everyone around him. He prided himself on prioritizing his soldiers' needs and treating everyone with dignity and respect; he was known as a soldier’s soldier. He is recognized as the father of the Army Air Defense branch successfully developing and deploying the Patriot missile defense system, which remains in wide international use today.

General Infante retired from the Army on September 1, 1989 after 30 years of service. He then entered the defense industry as the Vice President for the Patriot International programs subsequently retiring after a 16-year second career marketing the Patriot Air Defense System. After retirement Don continued supporting young military families as national Chairman of the Board of the Armed Forces YMCA. He also had a multi-year career as a defense industry consultant working with and supporting many associates that he mentored over the years.

Between their 30-year career in the US Army and his 16-year career with Raytheon, the Infantes lived in thirty-one different homes. The couple retired to a Sand Key, Florida condo in 2002, living on the beach for ten years. In 2012, they moved to the Regency Oaks Senior Living Community, residing there until their deaths.

Don is survived by his two children, Dean and Renee, who live in Youngstown, Ohio, and his brother Bill, from Palm Desert, California. The children reside in a home supervised by Gateways to Better Living. He is also blessed with many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death January 18, 2024 by NormaJean his loving wife and soulmate for sixty-three years, his parents from Youngstown and his brother Michael from Baltimore, Maryland as well as many aunts and uncles and cousins.

The family received friends May 14, 2026 at the Sylvan Abbey funeral home in Clearwater, Florida followed by a Celebration of Life service officiated by Father Robert Swick at Regency Oaks the following day. Final internment will occur later at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors and a chapel service at Fort Myer, VA. Don was known as a wonderful family man and great leader. His legacy will continue to be remembered by everyone he touched.

The family would like to thank the staff of Innovative Home Services at Regency Oaks Senior Living Center and the entire Regency Oaks Health Center for their loving care, for being a second family, and for making Don’s final days such a peaceful, warm caring experience. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Youngstown Foundation MG Donald R. Infante ROTC Leadership Scholarship Fund at 655 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502. Donations may also be made on his behalf to K9s for Warriors at 114 Camp K9 Road Ponte Vedra, FL 32081, to the Armed Services YMCA 14040 Central Loop, Suite B Woodbridge, VA 22193 or to Gateways to Better Living, 6000 Mahoning Avenue, Suite 234, Austintown, Ohio 44515 in his memory.