Don Decker

Donovan "Don" Decker, 82, of Eloy died June 7, 2009 at Hospice Family Care in Casa Grande.


Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel in Casa Grande. The funeral there will be at 9 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Eloy Memorial Park.

Mr. Decker was born to Everett and Mildred (Myers) Decker in Chicago. He attended Kemper Military School, where he acquired his love of flying at age 16. He served in the Army during World War II as a colonel's aide and Military Police officer. He met his wife, Viola "Anne," in 1950 and they married on Feb. 15, 1951 in Hot Springs, Ark. Their two sons were born there. He flew as an aerial applicator, traveling with the seasons to Kansas, Texas and Colorado. In Colorado their first daughter was born. When the cotton boom hit, he moved his family to Picacho, then Eloy, where their other daughter was born. He and his wife also raised as their son Arthur Padilla.

He and his business partner, Al Hamman, started Al-Don Dusting Service and crop-dusted with their unusual bi-winged Ag Cat airplane for many years until his retirement. He served his community as a lay reader for the local Episcopal Church and later served on the Eloy Elementary School District board, Eloy City Council and as mayor. He was a member of the Eloy Chamber of Commerce, Pinal County Development Board and Eloy Lions Club. He loved everything that had to do with flying, teaching his grandkids mechanics and telling stories of his life. He was devoted to his family.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Donovan Decker Jr. of Mesa, Dennis Decker of Casa Grande and Arthur Padilla of Mesa; two daughters, Dianne Decker of Chandler and Dina Jane Decker-Dixon of Eloy; a sister, Virginia Fair of Chicago; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Contributions may be made in his name to the Eloy Fire Department or Hospice Family Care.