Donald Ralph Perricone, 85, of Syracuse, New York and Jacksonville, Florida passed away peacefully on August 14, 2017 after a long and fulfilled life.
He was born in Oneida, New York, the eldest of two children to Ralph and Jean Perricone. He was a beloved son, husband and father to his family and faithful friend to his work colleagues and an active member of his pilot community. Don was predeceased by Donna, 77 and his son Mark, 16; surviving are his daughters, S. Lynn Stormon, PhD, Julie Perricone Flagg (Christopher) and Nancy Gibbs; four grandchildren, Reese, Hayley, Luke and Marcus, two step grandchildren, Jeff and Rebecca; a sister, Jean Cappon, and her children, Ralph, Chris and Beth.

After his graduation from Oneida High School, he attended Colgate University where he was a member of Theta Chi, a national social fraternity, and Psi Chi, a national psychology honorary society. He graduated from Colgate in 1954, with honors in social psychology. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. As an Air Force pilot, he flew both the B-25 and KC-97. Upon retiring from the USAF with a rank of Captain, he continued to serve in the USAF Reserves and with FAA and civilian air patrol units.

Don was the Director of Printing Services at Syracuse University, where he pioneered the transition to desktop publishing on Macintosh computers. He retired in 1993 after 23 years of service but maintained an active interest in computer technology, keeping in touch with his children and grandchildren on his iPhone until the end of his life.

In his retirement, Don continued to build and fly airplanes, including an ultralight aircraft. As an FAA Certified Flight Instructor and Accident Prevention Counselor, he successfully certified many pilots. He flew out of Marcellus Airport in Marcellus, New York where he was an active member of the experimental aircraft association and remote control model airplane clubs. As a result of his dedication to flight, in 2008 he was awarded the prestigious Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award for Fifty Years of Dedicated Service in Aviation Safety by the FAA.

For those who knew Don well, he was a loyal father who put his family first above all. He was a kind and caring friend and neighbor to many people throughout his long life. Like his father and grandfather before him, his sense of service to his community was strong and he provided help to those around him and his strong Catholic faith sustained him throughout his life.
He was an excellent mentor, instructor and a good listener who provided wisdom and encouragement. He was very generous to those in financial need.
Don Perricone was one of a kind and although we will all miss him dearly, he will be always remembered for his generosity, loyalty and devotion to those he cared for.

This is for you Dad....

High Flight by John Gillespie
"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds - And done a hundred things you have not dreamed of - Wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along And flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
"Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, Where never lark, or even eagle, flew; And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God."