He was born in Altoona, son of Ernest Roy and Ida May (Guyer) Whitfield. He was twice married, first to Iris Mildred Ake; she died May 25, 1995. He then married Effie L. Resides on June 7, 1997.

Surviving are his wife; a son, Donald D. II and wife, Nina (Fiola); a daughter-in-law, Brenda (Riley) Whitfield; four grandchildren: Donald D. Whitfield III and wife, Noel (Pennington), Nicole (Whitfield) Flynn and husband, George, Kayla (Whitfield) Bradley and husband, Harold, and Emma M. Whitfield; and five great-granddaughters: Gianna R., Tessa M. and Keria R. Flynn and Addysen L. and Ava G. Whitfield.

Donald was a 1944 graduate of Altoona High School. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force in the European Theater from 1943-46. He retired from Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 354 after 35 years of service and then retired from the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center in 2001 after 12 years of teaching in the building trades.

Donald was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Juniata VFW and Lakemont Lions Club and a life member of the Bavarian Aid Society.

Friends will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. today, Sept. 19, 2014, at Leslie E. Axe Funeral Home, 1520 Fourth St., Altoona. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, at Axe and Santella Family Chapel, 1534 Fourth St., Altoona, Pastor Hud Crossman officiating. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the youth ministry group at Trinity Lutheran Church, 408 N. Sixth St., Altoona, PA 16601.