Donald Walter Wicklander, 91, born May 12, 1916 in Chicago, died Saturday, March 6, 2010 at his home in Fairhope.
He was the son of Edward and Eva Wicklander. As a young child the family moved to Los Angeles.
He married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea and they set up housekeeping in Manhatten Beach, Calif. They moved in 1950 to Sacramento and in 1976 they moved to Fairhope, which they have called home ever since.
He joined the Coast Guard during World War II and graduated from the Coast Guard Academy and served until the end of the war and continued in the Coast guard Reserves for 20 more years. He was lucky that he was able to return to ATT after the war and had a career in management with ATT, which lasted for 35 years.
He and his wife loved sailing and owned numerous boats. The last sailboat they shipped to Fairhope when they retired. They joined the Fairhope Yacht Club which he has been a member-at-large. He was also a member of the Power Squadron, served on the Fairhope City Council, local phone company Pioneers, and a member of the Greeno Masons.
Their passion was traveling on freighters which they enjoyed until they were in their 80s. They traveled to 62 different countries. They also traveled during their 65 year marriage to all the states in the United States instead of Alaska.
He was preceded in death by his lovely wife Dorothea on March 17, 2005.
Survivors include a daughter, Donna (Mark) Young of Reno, Nev.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 15, from the chapel of Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope. Visitation will follow. A private entombment will be held in the Prayer Mausoleum at Memory Gardens of Fairhope.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Fairhope Jrs. Yacht Club, P.O. Box 1327, Fairhope, AL 36532 or Thomas Hospital in care of Thomas Health and Fitness Center.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
