Obituary of Col. Donald Harbour

Lt. Col. Donald Harbour, U.S.A.F. (ret.) died peacefully on Sunday evening, October 8, 2017.Donald Harbour was born on December 1, 1933 to Albert Joseph and Helen Victoria Karwoski Harbour in Albany, NY. Following high school he enlisted in the U.S.A.F. in December of 1951. He met his lovely bride, Florence Lorraine Piscitelli, at a USO dance and they were married on November 7, 1954. As a pilot, Donald was stationed all over the world while Florence stayed in the U.S. raising their six children. In 1964 he transferred to Carswell Air Force Base and retired in 1972.Don and Florence opened the Donald Harbour Real Estate Co. which they managed for the next ten years. By 1980, Don was recruited by Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines to start their first pilot training program. Don wrote the manuals that are still in use, trained and hired pilots for Southwest. He was also the founder and active member of the Aerospace Optimist Club.Don and his family were members of Holy Family Catholic Church where he started the Young Vincentians Club, and was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Society. Don also sponsored Vietnamese and Ukranian refugee families. He was a good dad who loved taking his children camping, boating and swimming all over the area.He was preceded in death by his grandson, Donny Stephen Bowers, daughter-in-law, Ann Harbour, brother, Robert Harbour Sr., and nephews, Robert Harbour Jr. and Andrew Gabriel Harbour.Survivors: His wife of 62 years, Florence Harbour; children, Frances Hauss (Earl), Michael Harbour (Thelma), Richard Harbour, Albert Harbour (Terrie), Donna Bowers, and Donald Harbour (Lisa Ann); 19 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.