Donald Frederick Kasselman

Col. Donald F. Kasselman, USAF (Ret) took his final flight heavenward surrounded by his children March 20, 2013 in Dallas, TX. He was born Dec. 29, 1923 in Ellinwood, Kansas to Charles and Anna Kasselman. He entered the Army Air Corps in 1944, flew numerous combat missions in the Pacific during WWII and was a pilot in the Berlin Airlift. During the course of his 30-year military career, he flew many types of aircraft, including B-17s. B-29s, B-47s, B-52s and KC-135s. In 1958, he piloted the first B-52 to arrive at Barksdale AFB. He retired as a command pilot with more than 12,000 flight hours. Following 30 years of military service, he worked as a petroleum landman for Sun Oil. After 33 years in Shreveport, he moved to Sunnyvale, Texas in 2007 to be nearer to his children. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 61 years, Ursula Chris Kasselman; brothers Kenneth and Gerald Kasselman and sisters Lorene Johnson and Margaret May. Survivors include son LTC (USA Ret.) Michael Kasselman and wife Deborah of Valrico, FL; daughter Patti Kasselman and son Major, USAFR Terry Kasselman and wife Alicia, all from Dallas; sisters Agnes Duncan, June Schwartz and husband Gene Schwartz, and brother Wayne Kasselman and wife Virginia, all of Hutchinson, KS. He also leaves nine cherished grandchildren, including Katie Kasselman Gregory and husband Geoff of Nacogdoches, TX; Rebekah Kasselman Rojas and husband Pedro of Wesley Chapel, FL; Benjamin, Sarah, Seth and Mary Beth Kasselman of Valrico; A1C Christopher Kasselman of Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, TX; SA, USNR Joshua Kasselman of Dallas and Bethany Kasselman of Nacogdoches, TX. He also leaves two great-grandsons,Sawyer Gregory of Nacogdoches, TX and Owen Kasselman of Valrico, FL, as well as a beloved daughter-in-law, Shayne Prater Kasselman of Nacogdoches. The family will receive visitors from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 24 at New Hope Funeral Home, Sunnyvale, TX. Funeral services will be held at the same location Monday, March 25 at noon, with interment following in Dallas/Ft.Worth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Broadmoor Baptist Church, 4110 Youree Drive, Shreveport, LA 71105; www.broadmoor.tv/ or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516; www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Condolences and tributes may be left for the family at www.newhopefh.com.