| Sources |
- [S393] Pacific Beach Chapel, Wegemer, Donald Edmond.
Donald Edmond Wegemer, 89, longtime resident of Pacific Beach, passed away peacefully on 11/13/15. He was born on July 23rd, 1926, in Saint Marys Pennsylvania to Joseph George Wegemer and Edna Mae O’Donnell Wegemer. Don was raised in this small town in western Pennsylvania with his six brothers (George, Jody, Bill, Harry, Gene, and Ben) and two sisters (Helen and Pat). Growing up in the depression, Don worked many jobs to help the family, delivering newspapers morning, afternoon, and evening, and working at the drug store, and butcher shop after school. When Don graduated high school, he joined the army and became a Mess Sargent towards the end of World War II. Don fed many a hungry GI on their way to or from their assignments in Germany. After the war, Don returned to Saint Marys and worked at a brewery and a light bulb factory to save enough money to go to college on the GI bill. He received his bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and his master’s from the University of Pittsburgh. It was while he was a graduate student at Pitt that he met the love of his life, Patricia Anne Jordan. They were married on August 16th, 1954. Don also worked with Doctor Jonas Salk at Pitt and was the last surviving member of the team who discovered the polio vaccine. After Don’s daughter Donna, and son Mike were born, the family moved to California where Don worked with Doctor Salk to establish the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in 1963. He worked for Doctor Salk for 30 plus years before eventually retiring from Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Don was an avid bowler competing in many leagues and state tournaments. He was very involved at St. Brigid Catholic Church as head lector, usher, and lay minister for many years. When the children were young, Don would drive the family across the country every year to see their relatives. Later in life, he and Pat enjoyed traveling the country by train to visit family or taking long drives together on the weekend before settling on the back porch to listen to the waterfall he constructed, enjoying all the flowers and trees he planted, and together watching the butterflies and hummingbirds.
Don is survived by his daughter Donna Wolff (Rob); granddaughter Tricia Beyer (Keith); great-grand daughter Hazel; grandson Sam Wolff; son Michael Wegemer (Debbie); grandsons Mark and Jordan Wegemer. He was preceded in death by Patricia, his beloved wife of 61 years, his parents, and all his brothers and sisters.
Arrangements are being made by The Pacific Beach Chapel, Saint Brigid Church, and Miramar National Cemetery. Please contact Pacific Beach Chapel for specific dates and times.
Pacific Beach Chapel
http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/
23NOV2015
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1905 - 1989 (83 years)