Donald Emory Hutson

Donald E. Hutson passed away peacefully on September 23, 2026, in Papillion, Nebraska. He was born on June 19, 1928, in St. Augustine, Florida, the nation’s oldest city.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, William M. Hutson, Jr. and Marian (Kelly) Hutson; his brother, Stuart F. Hutson; his stepson, John Dressen; and his first wife, Joan Hansen.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Sharon, whom he married on May 17, 1997; stepdaughter Carla Willey (Tom) and her daughter Summer; stepson Brian (Jenny) Mariotti and daughter Ruby; and stepdaughter Kristin Baber and her children, Alex, Emilia and Delaney Baber all in Omaha area.

He is also survived by his son, Kelly (Fran) of Logan, Iowa; grandchildren Ann (Hutson) Fouts and her husband, Matt, and their three sons; Megan (Hutson) Dieken and her husband, Zach, and their three children; Karen (Hutson) Ettleman and her husband, Levi, and their four children; Paul Hutson and his wife, Kierstyn, and their three children; and by his daughter Rebecca Alfrey and her daughter, Margaret (Ty) Kalvoda. Don was blessed with 13 great grandchildren.

Don lived a remarkable and accomplished life. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Florida before leaving college to serve four years in the United States Air Force in the 1950s, where he taught electronics. In August 1959, he returned to college and earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree.

Following graduation, Don began his engineering career with Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, California, working on ground support equipment for the Thor missile system. He then traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to train at Western Electric’s facility on the guidance system for the Titan missile. From there, he moved to Denver, where he tested and ultimately sold the missile system to the United States Air Force.

In 1961, Don worked for Martin in Orlando and later joined North American Rockwell. Among the highlights of his career was testing and approving the command module for Apollo VIII at Cape Canaveral. Apollo VIII was commanded by Frank Borman.

In August 1969, Don purchased a farm near Logan, Iowa, where he remained for approximately 20 years before moving to Omaha. He worked for OPPD from August 1969 until June 1997.

Don and Sharon cherished their time together, especially their many years of quiet getaways in Aruba. They also enjoyed traveling and made wonderful memories throughout Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, France and Belize.

In his later years, Don faced a battle with spinal stenosis. He is now at peace and will be remembered for his remarkable accomplishments, adventurous spirit, and the many lives he touched throughout his long and meaningful life.

A memorial service will be held at Bethany Funeral Home, 8201 Harrison Street, La Vista, NE, 68128 on October 1, 2026, with visitation from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by the service. Burial will take place at 12:30 p.m. at Omaha National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Bethany Funeral Home for the family, who will make donations to causes that Don was passionate about.