Posted by John Vogler on October 24, 2008:

Donald Charles Vogler was born 28 February 1924 in Carbondale, Jackson County, Illinois. He was the son of Mr. Edwin William Vogler, Sr., and Mrs. Doris A. Krebs Vogler. He attended elementary school in Carbondale. He joined his older brother, Edwin William Vogler, Jr., at the Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois, where he studied for five years. During this time he was under its Junior ROTC Program. He graduated valedictorian in his class at Western. He received an appointment to West Point from the Honorable C.W. Bishop of Illinois' 25th Congressional District. Don entered the United States Military Academy on 1 July 1941 as a member of the Class of 1945 which later became the D-Day Class of 1944, when its curricula was reduced from four to three years because of World War II. He served in Cadet Company B-2, as a cadet corporal his Yearling Year, and as cadet first sergeant his First Class Year. He excelled in rifle marksmanship all three years and won his "A" in this sport. He entered the air cadet program in his Yearling Year and was awarded his wings on 5 June 1944. The next day as American troops were storming ashore on the Normandy Beaches of Omaha and Utah, Don graduated from West Point and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. Four days later on 10 June 1944, Don married Helen E. Marberry in Carbondale. After a months leave, Don was off to a series of air bases for intense training in bomber aircraft, ranging in size from the B-24 to the B-29. In 1947 he was grandfathered from the Army into the newly organized United States Air Force (USAF). He was assigned overseas to the Island of Guam where in the last half of 1948 he held the position of Adjutant of the 43d Supply Squadron. The following year he served as Adjutant of the 43d Maintenance Squadron. On 22 December 1949, Don resigned from the USAF as a captain. Don returned to Carbondale in 1950 to join his father and brother Ed at Vogler Motor Company, a Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership started by Don's father Edwin in 1923. He worked in all phases of the successful dealership. In the mid 1970s Don learned RPG computer programming language to automate payroll, inventory and other functions utilizing the IBM System 32. Don was selected to be on the St. Louis Division Lincoln-Mercury advertising council where he served many years. He helped organize the Crab Orchard Lake Sailing Club. He hand-built a Y-flyer sailboat and sailed throughout the Midwest and South, winning several regattas. A lifelong student of American wars, Don carefully studied the significant campaigns of the Civil War, walking the battlefields of Shiloh, Stones River and may many others. He believed the lessons of these battles are relevant in understanding our current conflicts. He also served on the Carbondale Library Board and was instrumental in helping build the new library on Main Street. Don was a life long member of the Elks, and an accomplished bridge player. Don retired from his work in Carbondale and he and Helen moved to their retirement home in Oro Valley, Arizona. A lifelong golfer, Don hit a hole-in-one on Father's Day with a 5-iron. He passed away in Paducah on 27 March 2007. Don is survived by his brother Edwin William Vogler Jr. (wife Dorothy) of Carbondale, Illinois, wife Helen Marberry Vogler, children Ann Murray (Boulder, Colorado), Nancy Bain (Washington, Georgia), John Vogler (Beaverton, Oregon), and Stacy Johnson (Paducah, Kentucky). He is preceded in death by his son Donald Charles Vogler Jr., parents Edwin William Vogler Sr. and Doris A. Krebs, and Brother Richard.

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