Donald Gene Sellon

Donald Gene Sellon, aged 93, died peacefully on November 14, 2017, at Bethany Assisted Living in Peoria, Arizona after a resurgence of an extended battle with cancer. Don was born to Ray and Louise Sellon in the bedroom of a tiny farmhouse on the eastern plains of Colorado near the little town of Hugo in August 1924. He grew up on that farm, which is still in the family.

Shortly after starting university at Colorado State A&M (now CSU), World War II was well underway and the Army Air Corps sent recruiters to the school looking for pilots. Of course, Don jumped on that opportunity and enlisted, then off he went to flight school. He deployed to England in December 1944 as Aircraft Commander of a B-17 “Flying Fortress” with the 8th Air Force, 457th Bomb Group. He completed 33 combat missions before the end of the war and was back in the U.S. before his 21st birthday.

After the war, Don ended up at Peterson Field in Colorado Springs near his family farm. His life forever changed when he met his beloved Jeanne there at the Antlers Hotel Dance Hall. Their romance quickly led to marriage in January 1947. Thus began a wonderful marriage that lasted just over 70 years until Jeanne passed away this past February.

Don remained in the Air Force serving in various of increasing responsibility into the Cold War era. He piloted B-47’s at Whiteman AFB, with responsibility for decoding and potentially implementing a nuclear strike against the USSR. Don was then transferred to the Washington DC area where he was part of the team that designed and implemented the first Emergency Airborne Command Post, a plane that would carry the Commander-in-Chief and top generals to implement war operations during a national emergency. Finally, Don was stationed in the inner ring of the Pentagon as Operations Staff Officer coordinating operational and training directives for the National Military Command Centers serving the President, Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and other national officials. Don retired from the Air Force at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel following 22 years of service. Quite a set of accomplishments for a Colorado farm boy with less than a semester of college!

After leaving the Air Force, Don and Jeanne promptly moved to Aurora, Colorado, where Don had secured a job in the flight training department with United Airlines. This brought him back near the farm where he could visit frequently and help his parents out. Following his retirement from United in 1989, they enjoyed living in Aurora for another 17 years. In 2006 they sought the warmth of Arizona and moved to Freedom Plaza retirement center in Peoria.

Don is survived by his daughter Dona Sellon of Hugo, Colorado; son Keith Sellon-Wright of Van Nuys, California; grandson Justin Rounsefell of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; and numerous other relatives and close friends.

Private services will be held for immediate family and close friends at Freedom Plaza on December 1st. Further services will follow in Colorado on their wedding anniversary date, January 19th when Don and Jeanne’s remains will be interred together at Fort Logan National Cemetery.