Donald G. Southwood

Funeral services for Donald G. Southwood, 89, of Davenport, will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 22, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church in Davenport. Burial with military honors will follow at the Rock Island Arsenal National Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 9:30 until service time at the church. Mr. Southwood died on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at the Ridgecrest Health Care Center.He was born on September 30, 1922 in Rock Island, IL, the son of George and Helen (Latin) Southwood. After graduating from Rock Island High School in 1942, Don joined the Army Air Corp earning his pilot wings in 1943. He then signed on for the Merchant Marines where started a union. He married Marietta Moore on July 11, 1953. She passed away in 2005.Don worked at Reynolds Engineering in Rock Island prior to his enlistment. After the war he worked as a sheet metal worker with at Johnson’s Sheet Metal in East Moline. He went on to become manager of the Sheet Metal Union from 1948 to 1961. He later became a trainer and regional coordinator for the Federal Government Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Programs.Don had a love of history and genealogy. He served as the Chairman and President of the International Federation of Genealogy. One of Don’s greatest contributions to the community and church was his tireless devotion to the heritage committee at First Presbyterian Church. He worked with the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society to develop the Bix Litergy Service and to research and document the renowned Bix Collection. His other memberships included the Davenport Lions Club, the Tostmasters Club, where he was a charter member, he also worked as an active volunteer at the Davenport Public Library. Surviving members of the family include; sisters-in-law Eileen Southwood, Rita Southwood and nieces and nephews, Diana (Ralph) McGrath, Nancy (Mike) Lavery, Mary (Steve) Mangan, Mike Southwood, Tim Southwood, Theresa (Dennis Majetic, Barbara (Jim) Chance, John (Theresa) Southwood, Sister Cecelia (Cathy) Southwood, Roseanne (Mark) Hepworth, Fr. Joseph Southwood, Tom(Julie) Southwood, and Special Friends, Linda Meadors and Libby Turner-Platt.He was preceded in death a sister, Dolores Southwood and brothers, Duane and DeweyThe family would like to extend a special note of thanks to the staff of Genesis Hospice and also at the Crest Health Care Center for their kind and loving care these last weeks.