Col (Ret)Donaldj. O'Toole

Col. (Ret) Donald Joseph O'Toole, 91, passed away Tuesday, December 30, 2014. He was born December 4, 1923 to Joseph and Beulah (Wright) O'Toole at Baltimore, MD. He graduated in 1941 from McKinley Tech High School, Washington, D.C.

Col O'Toole joined the military in 1943. In 1945 he was assigned to Bolling Field and established the first base photo lab. He was engaged in recording high level social and historical events for the Air Corp and traveled extensively with General Hap Arnold as his staff photographer. He joined the Kansas National Guard in 1947 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1948. He attended flight training as San Marcos Air Force Base graduating in 1949. During the next 30 years his job title changed but the duties remained essentially the same time. He was responsible for the states' Army Aviation program during its period of greatest growth. He retired from the Guard in 1979 having logged 9,379 flying hours with a total of 36 years of service.

Col. O'Toole was then employed by the Kansas Highway Patrol as Security Aid and Pilot for Governor John Carlin, retiring at age 60 in 1983. He joined his wife volunteering his computer talents with the Topeka Genealogical Society. Among his many military awards, he received the Secret Service Director's Award recognizing his voluntary cooperation with the Secret Service. He was inducted into the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame in 1991 and received the 2001 Governor's Aviation Honor Award. He was a life member of American Legion Post 400 and a past member of the National Railway Historical Society.

Col. O'Toole was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Col. Michael O'Toole. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Shirley Fulkerson O'Toole; his sister Betty O'Toole Harvill of Gaithersburg, MD; 3 daughters, Kathleen (Steve) Zimmerman, Debra (Bob) Shelinbarger and Lori Kelly; daughter-in-law Pam O'Toole Trusdale; 2 nieces and their families; 9 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

A casual memorial service will be held at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, 6700 Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66619 on Saturday January 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Mt. Hope Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, PO Box 19031, Topeka, KS 66619; Topeka Genealogical Society, PO Box 4048, Topeka KS 66604; Midland Care, 200 SW Frazier Cir. Topeka, KS 66606; or the donor's choice.