FREDERICA - Donald Leo Le Duc was welcomed into the presence of Jesus on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. He died at his home in Frederica.
He was born on Jun. 30, 1942 in Harford, Conn., the son of the late Bernard Le Duc and Solange Robillard Le Duc.
Don served his country with distinction in the United States Air Force and was a decorated airman, serving a full tour and many additional missions during the Vietnam War. As a loadmaster, Don flew as a crewmember on C-130's and other planes transporting troops and cargo all over the world. He retired to Delaware in 1980 from Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a Master Sergeant after a twenty-year career. Following his military retirement he held a number of sales jobs, managed a surplus lumber store for Nanticoke Homes in Greenwood, and finally retired for good from Southern States in 2006. Like many who served in Vietnam, Don's health was severely impacted. His role as loadmaster meant that he was among those who saw the heaviest exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange. Due to adult onset diabetes and heart disease resulting from this exposure, he was declared fully disabled in 2009 by the Department of Defense.
Don was a committed Christian who loved Jesus and shared the love of Jesus with everyone he met. Don loved airplanes and was a private pilot for many years until his health prevented him from flying. He enjoyed restoring antique trucks, doing word puzzles, playing cribbage and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marsha Betts Le Duc of Frederica; four daughters, Leonise Le Duc of Centreville, Va., Bobbie Le Duc of Laurel, Tracy Carter of Georgetown, Amy Kouse and her husband Michael of Greenwood; one son, Luke Le Duc and his wife Terilyn of Lancaster, Pa.; three step daughters, Wanda Cline and Judy Fuller of Anchorage, Alaska and Joyce Music of Hampton, Va.; seventeen grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; three brothers, Richard Le Duc and his wife Nicole, David Le Duc and Eugene Le Duc and his wife Pam all of Conn.; and one sister, Deanna Remick and her husband David of N.H.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Shannon Le Duc; a grandson, Daniel Richardson; and a brother, Bernard Le Duc, Jr.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Crossroad Community Church in Georgetown with his son, Reverend Luke Le Duc officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church. Interment is at 1 p.m. at the Delaware Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Millsboro. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon back at Crossroad Community Church immediately following interment.
Services entrusted to the Fleischauer Funeral Home, Greenwood.