Donald Gregory Weinert's Obituary
Donald Gregory Weinert
Brigadier General, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Retired
Don Weinert, age 91 - soldier, leader, engineer, brother, son, friend, husband for 64 years, father of five, grandfather of fourteen, great-grandfather of nine - died May 10, 2022, of natural causes at his Ashby Ponds Senior Residence home.
The older of two sons, born Sept. 16, 1930, in Aberdeen, SD to Col. McDonald Donegan Weinert and Elsie Mae Mathis, Don graduated from U. S. Military Academy in West Point’s Class of 1952.
After the Engineer Basic Course, he joined an Army Combat Engineering Battalion in the Korean war. Next he was Asst. to Sacramento District Engineer, followed by Asst. Post Engineer at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. He earned a Master of Science in Engineering degree from Purdue University in 1957, where he wed Suzi Maschmeyer. After the Ft. Belvoir Engineer Advanced Course, he went to Dexheim, Germany, serving as Airborne Company Commander, BN S-4 and S-3, in the 12th Engineer Battalion. Then to West Point for three years as Tactical Officer and Senior Engineer Instructor. Following Command and General Staff College, came a tour in Korea. He then attended Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA, followed by a return to Germany to command 79th Engineer Construction Battalion. He attended the Army War College before a tour in Vietnam. He was next assigned to Army Office of Assistant Vice Chief of Staff in the Pentagon, before becoming District Engineer in Little Rock, AR and promotion to BG. He then served as special assistant to Chief of Engineers in Washington, DC.
A licensed Professional Engineer, Don retired with 26 years active-duty service in l978. He earned three Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars, a Meritorious Service Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, and several Republic of Vietnam awards.
After retirement Don began a second career for 17 years as Executive Director of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), with whom he launched MATHCOUNTS, a national program for middle schoolers encouraging skill and fun with math, serving as their Board Chairman from 1983 - 2003. He formed the National Advisory Committee for Engineering Exploring program for Boy Scouts of America, chairing that committee for many years. He also served as President and long-time Board member of Junior Engineering Technical Society, promoting math and science for high schoolers.
Post-military Don lived in McLean, VA for 25 years, Lake of the Woods for 15 years and Ashby Ponds Senior Living Community for 6 years.
He applied self-discipline, personal integrity, and commitment to excellence in service to others in his military career, NSPE, and with his family and his community. He is loved and missed by the many whose lives he touched.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in Don’s memory to MATHCOUNTS at mathcounts.org/donate or by check c/o NSPE, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
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