Donald Lacy Bird of Dallas lost his battle with cancer on his 86th birthday, March 7 2013. Don was born in Dallas, Texas in 1927. He served in the Navy during World War II. In 1948, he earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He worked briefly for Anderson Clayton in their cottonseed oil group. He joined Shamrock Oil and Gas in 1951. Don retired from Diamond Shamrock in 1994 as Vice President of Engineering. He continued to consult after retirement, and worked on many projects in the United States as well as international projects requiring travel to Costa Rica, Bulgaria, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Romania, Argentina, Bolivia, Nigeria, Mexico, Japan, Malaysia, and Canada. His last consulting trip was to Iraq at the age of 80.
He had a long and successful career in the petroleum industry, but his passion was aviation. In 1973 he earned his pilots license. He held a multi-engine Airline Transport Pilot Rating, glider rating, and was a flight instructor. He owned various planes over the span of his career but perhaps his most cherished plane was the Lancair he built when he was 78 years young.
Don was an avid skier. He was a man who loved to learn and loved technology especially Apple computers. He was a member of Christ Church in Plano Texas.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years Mary Frances Wilson. He is survived by his wife Amelia Midgette Bird, his sons Douglas Bird (Kathi) of Round Hill VA, John Bird (Deanna) of Allen, TX Brian Bird (Lori) of Hutchinson, KS. and his daughter Mary Karlik of Waxahachie, TX. His step-children Keith Midgette (Lori) of Newport News, VA, Vanessa Napier (Dennis) of Chesapeake, VA, and Mark Midgette (Sharon) of Raleigh, NC. He had 23 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.
A Funeral Service will be at 11:00 am on Monday, March 11, 2013 at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr. Plano, TX 75024. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas, TX followed by a reception. The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013 at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas. Online condolences may be made to Sparkman-Hillcrest .com.
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