Redondo Beach, CA

Donald Harry Lackowski, 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 2, 2020 in Torrance, California.

An early riser, world traveler, adventurer, and hiker with a wry sense of humor, Don was blessed to have lived a full life.

After attaining a Masters degree in Engineering and serving in active duty, he settled in San Diego working at Naval Ocean Systems Center and continuing in the Navy Reserve. During his 35-plus years in the Navy, Don served in Vietnam and had many accomplishments, including his work on four patents.

After retirement, he served faithfully for more than 16 years logging over 6,600 hours as one of the original docents on the USS Midway.

He was devoted to his family, the Navy, his Chicago roots, and his alma mater, the University of Illinois. He possessed a warm and easy smile, was delighted by children and pets, and relished story telling of his life and times.

He was a good man. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Beatrice Lackowski, his sister, Patricia, and his brother, James. Family to cherish his memory include his daughter, Elizabeth (Liz) Ann Lackowski Seyferth of Redondo Beach; son, Dr. Douglas (Doug) Michael Lackowski and wife Jane Knechtel of Portland, Oregon; grandsons, David Alexander (Alex) Seyferth of San Francisco, Conor Michael Lackowski and Simon Douglas Lackowski of Portland; as well as his partner in life, Mary Katherine (Kay) Hathaway, of San Diego.

Captain Lackowski will be laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Oahu, Hawaii, with full military honors at a date TBD. A Memorial and Celebration of Life will also be scheduled aboard USS Midway at a date TBD.

In lieu of flowers, donations made in his name to the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign College of Engineering (https://uif.uillinois.edu/give/), the USS Midway, or to a charity of your own choosing would be appreciated.

Published in San Diego Union-Tribune on Apr. 12, 2020.
Text and photo are from Legacy.com