Donald L Fuchs

Donald L. Fuchs was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Joseph and Hilda Fuchs on Sept. 14, 1932. He graduated from New Orleans’ St. Aloysius High School in 1950, and married Beth Wilken on Dec. 1, 1951, in New Orleans. Donald L. Fuchs graduated from Louisiana State University in 1954, and became an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He flew alert missions in the Caribbean during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he was a veteran of the Vietnam War. During his deployment to Vietnam, he piloted Forward Air Control missions. Several missions resulted in the rescue of personnel trapped in hostile territory.

During his Air Force career, Donald L. Fuchs earned a variety of medals and commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Longevity Award with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Spurred by several of his children in the 1970s, he became an avid SCUBA diver for a number of years, exploring wrecks in the Gulf of Mexico, caves in central Florida, and reefs in the Florida Keys and Caribbean.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1976, he began a second career with the U.S. Postal Service. Upon retiring from the USPS, Donald Fuchs became an active volunteer for about 10 years at Town and Country Hospital, where he served as Volunteer Chairman for a number of years.

Donald L. Fuchs is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Hilda. Donald L. Fuchs is survived by his wife, Beth, and their children Donald S. Fuchs, Laurie Fontenot, Eric Fuchs, Christian Fuchs, and Tracy Caramalis; grandchildren Bradley Fuchs, Jacques Fontenot, Evan Fuchs, Sierra Fuchs, and Brett Caramalis; great-grandchildren Lillian Fuchs, Margaret Fuchs, Finley Fontenot, Aiden Fuchs, Rose Fontenot, and Hannah Fuchs.

Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, at Blount & Curry Funeral Home in Carrollwood

(3207 West Bearss Ave.), followed by a service at noon. Donald L. Fuchs will be cremated, and there

will be a military interment service at Bay Pines National Cemetery in January or February of 2022. Arrangements are by Blount & Curry.

Memorials may be given to Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (www.jrsusa.org), an aid organization whose mission Donald L. Fuchs believed in and supported.