DONALD LIND WINCHELL, JR. JULY 9, 1946 - DECEMBER 6, 2020

Donald Lind Winchell, Jr. was born in Bethesda, Maryland on July 9, 1946 the third and youngest child of Donald Lind Winchell, Sr. and Constance Palmer Winchell.

Donald and his family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1953 and he graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1964. Through a Navy ROTC Scholarship, he attended Oregon State University, graduating in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics. Immediately following his graduation, he married his college sweetheart Donna Dykes on June 14, 1969.

After attending the Naval Nuclear Lab in Idaho, he served tours of duty on the Skipjack, the Queenfish, and the Snook, culminating with a three-year tour as commanding officer of the USS DRUM (SSN 677). He went on to command Submarine Squadron 22 in La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy from 1989 to 1991.

Donald’s distinguished naval career included assignments to the Bureau of Personnel Defense Liaison Division Project, Assistant Chief of Staff for Material and Logistic Support for the Atlantic Submarine Force, and Executive Officer of the Atlantic Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board. He earned four Legion of Merit awards and retired from the Navy as Captain in 1999.

His years of service to our country continued despite his retirement. In 2001, he was named Deputy General Manager of Operations for Maintenance and Infrastructure Support to the facilities at Los Alamos Nuclear Labs. In 2007, he was appointed to a 3-year term as the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Los Alamos Site Office Manager and in 2010, he was awarded the National Nuclear Security Administration Gold Medal for his service at the labs.

Donald is survived by his wife of 51 years, Donna, his sisters Linda Grunkemeyer (Dennis), and Diana Finley (Michael), three nieces and a nephew, and many grandnieces and nephews.

Military services in his honor will be held at a later date. Due to COVID, the family requests no visitors at this time.