A funeral service will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at United Lutheran Church in Langdon for Donald Charles Hart, 93, who passed away Jan. 21, 2025, from the consequences of a cerebral hematoma (subdural).
Donald was born July 26, 1931 in Langdon, N.D., to Charles and Maybelle (Kittleson) Hart. He was raised on the family farm with two younger brothers, Gary and Allyn. Don graduated from Langdon High School in 1949 and continued his education at North Dakota State Agriculture College, now NDSU.
As a young boy, he became fascinated with flying and airplanes and earned a pilot’s license while in high school. At one point he was the youngest licensed pilot in the state. This was the beginning of his flying life. In 1954, upon graduating from the ROTC program in college, he had an Air Force commission as a Second Lieutenant and reported for active duty. He moved to Greenville, Mississippi, for Air Force flight training in two single-engine jets, the T28 and T33. While there he met and married Bobbie Nell Strong. Don did not stay on active duty and was released in 1957. He and his wife went to California.
In 1959, Don became aware of the USAF Reserve flying units. It was announced that the 452nd Military Wing (AFR Reserve) with Fairchild C-119s was moving from Long Beach, Cali., to March AFB. He joined one of the flying squadrons. Eight years later and 1300 + hours of C119 time, he was privileged to transfer to the first USAF Reserve Lockheed C-141 Starlifter unit at Norton AFB, the 944th Military Airlift Group. There he gained C141 flight time, much of it in the Pacific including many Vietnam missions. He also attended Air Command and Staff College. The 944th grew and became the 445th Military Airlift Wing. Don gained command experience and was promoted to Colonel. His final assignment was as Wing Commander. He retired in 1984 having accumulated 3300 hours in the C-141.
In his own words, “I was part of military aviation, have no airline experience, but played a role in general aviation with in excess of 7000 general aviation flight hours. I tell people my USAF career was an advocation, as I was always a civilian performing as a part time reservist. As a civilian aviator, I instructed, flew charter, and performed as a company pilot with several companies while employed as a salesman, business administrator and company executive, was employed in aircraft sales plus my own flying for pleasure and transportation. My last flight in a general aviation aircraft was in November 1992.”
He moved to Colorado and in 1996 married Carol Caverly. They had close to 30 years together happily enjoying traveling with friends and motorhome clubs. Don’s favorite trips were to N.D. He never lost his love for his home state. He kept in close touch with the family farm and all his relatives and friends, always wanting to know how the crops were doing and eager for his next trip.
Don is survived by his wife, Carol, and her family; his three daughters with his first wife, Bobbie: Terri Caine (Tony), Carla Buretz (Steve) and Debra Fager (Brent); his brother, Gary, (Judy) and his sister-in- law, Carol. He had six grandchildren: Annie, Emily, Abby, Jilian, Caden and Pierson, and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, two wives -Bobbie and Elaine, and his brother, Allyn.
Don will be sadly missed by all and remembered for his love of aviation, devotion to family, and dedication to serving his country.