Donald Lee Waldvogel, JR

Donald Lee Waldvogel, JR., age 58 of Enterprise, Alabama died on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at the UW Hospital in Madison as a result of complications from COVID-19.  He was born on March 26, 1962 to Donald Lee & Barbara Ann (Daugherty) Waldvogel in Joliet, Illinois.  He worked on the family farm as a youth and teen.  He spent his high school years in the Watertown, Wisconsin area, and graduated from the Watertown high school in 1981.  He loved his grandparents, Oma and Opa, Jerry and Alma Daugherty in Mokena, Illinois.  He joined the United States Army Airborne Infantry and served for three years from 1981-1984, including serving in Europe.  Following his enlisted service, Don joined the 1-147th Army National Guard unit in Madison out of Truax, while he attended the UW-Madison.  Don had the opportunity to go to flight school at Fort Rucker, AL from 1987 to 1988.  From 1991 to 1992, he attended Instructor Pilot flight school at Fort Rucker, AL.  He was married to Jodi Peterson in Madison on April 17, 1992.  From 1995-1996, Don was honored to attend Instrument Flight Examiner school there.  He continued teaching through the National Guard out of Madison, later out of Tupelo, Mississippi.  He also flew Med-Flight in Des Moines, IA, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He then worked on the Gulf Coast flying helicopters transporting people to and from the oil rigs. Don flew both the OH-58 Kiawa and the UH-60 Blackhawk and was a Blackhawk Instrument Flight Instructor for the military and later for a military contractor near Fort Rucker, AL. He moved to Enterprise in June, of 2001 and while working for a civilian contractor teaching military student pilots to fly, he also continued serving in the National Guard and later the reserves out of St. Petersburg, FL and Enterprise, AL. Don had a passion for flying and teaching. He loved his flying buddies and especially his 3 children. 

Don is survived by three children, Torre Peterson-Waldvogel of Madison, Camden Peterson-Waldvogel of Ridgeway, and AnaCapri Peterson-Waldvogel of Barneveld; his father Donald Lee (Connie) Waldvogel of Hilbert, Wisconsin; his mother Barbara (Keith Peterson) Waldvogel; a brother Jay (Catherine) Waldvogel; a sister Dana (Lane) Ransdell of Spring Hill, Tennessee; his former wife and mother of his children, Dr Jodi McGraw of Barneveld, and a niece,  3 nephews and many friends..  He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Don’s family would like to thank the UW TLC staff, doctors and nurses (especially Hillary and Andrew) for working so hard to give Don a fighting chance to survive and also Saether Funeral Service for their compassionate care of the family. We will always remember.

A private funeral service will be held on Friday, February 19, 2021 at 5:00 PM at the Perry Lutheran Church in Daleyville.  This will be livecast on the Saether Funeral Service Facebook page for all to participate.  Rev. Kelli Fisher of the Perry Lutheran Church in Daleyville will officiate. 

The livestream (broadcast on the internet) will be available at: 

https://www.facebook.com/saetherfuneralservice

A public visitation, with the wearing of masks and social distancing required, will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 11:00 until 2:00 PM at Blanchard Hall, 204 South Main Street in Blanchardville. Saether Funeral Service of Blanchardville is assisting the family.  Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralservice.com

In lieu of flowers, Don would be honored to have donations in his memory sent to DAV - Disabled American Veterans.

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