Donald Bronson Van Slyke III (83) of Wilmington, North Carolina passed from this life peacefully at his son's home on April 29, 2024.  Donald, fondly known as Don, was born to Donald Bronson Van Slyke II and Eleanor Wagoner on July 4, 1940, in Albany, New York.  Those who interacted with Don were uplifted by infectious smile and he was always quick with a laugh throughout his life. As a youth, Don enjoyed hunting rabbits and played the cornet in the high school marching band. Upon graduating from Ravena Coeymans Selkirk Central High in upstate New York, Donald enlisted in the United States Navy and as a sailor served his country honorably in the Vietnam war.  He served as a cook and ran numerous resupply runs in small boats up and down Vietnamese rivers which often put him in the line of fire.  During his time in the Navy, Don met his first wife Barbara who is the mother of his first two sons, Scott and Donald. After his marriage to Barbara and his time in the Navy had ended Don worked at Valleys Stake house where he met his second wife, the late Janice Daisy Smith.  Janice is the mother of Don's third and fourth sons, Charles (Chuck) and Roger.  Don had various jobs including a cook at the State University of New York at Albany and working at a lumber yard.  After his working days had ended, he spent his final years in the homes of Chuck and Roger, under the loving care of their wives Deanna Darling and Anne Wheeler.

Don is survived by his sister Joan McNessor of Selkirk, New York, his brother Charles Wagoner Van Slyke of Southport, North Carolina and his four sons, Scott Van Slyke of Albany, New York; Donald Van Slyke of Schenectady, New York; Charles Van Slyke of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Roger Van Slyke of Wilmington, North Carolina. He has four grandchildren from Chuck and Deanna (Bryant, Garrison, Elena, and Faith) and five grandchildren from Roger and Anne (Hyrum, Elanor, Miriam, David, and Joshua).

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Quinn McGowen Funeral Home – Wilmington

910-794-7171