Donald A. ‘Sarge’ Henry III, 83, of Burlington, Iowa, died at 9:15 a.m. Sunday, March 15, 2026, at his home.
He was born on November 3, 1942, in Peoria, Illinois, to Donald A. and Patricia Shesler Henry Jr. He married Sandra Kay Gagliano on February 25, 1967, at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas.
Don was a writer, a career soldier known to many locally as “Sarge”, and late in life entered Christian ministry. Certified by Nazarene Bible College and licensed by the Iowa District, he was a trustee and men’s minister at Flint Hills Church of the Nazarene. He also undertook clinical pastoral education and served several years as associate chaplain at Great River Medical Center and earlier at Bickford of Burlington.
In 1988, he created “The Write Idea,” a business writing and consulting service. He turned most of his clients over to the late Mike “Augie” Augspurger in 2004, but continued to write a weekly conservative opinion column, “Right Ideas,” carried by The Hawk Eye newspaper until 2012.
He graduated from Arlington High School, Arlington Heights, Ill., in 1960; received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois College of Journalism in June 1964, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of artillery through the Army ROTC program. He was initiated in 1961 into Phi Kappa Tau social fraternity and in 1962 into Sigma Delta Chi professional journalism fraternity.
At Illinois, Don became the city editor of the Daily Illini student newspaper. In 1963, he either quit or was fired by then-editor Roger Ebert, who became a renowned film critic. (Joking about it later, they always disputed the circumstances of Don’s departure.) Don then worked part-time as an assistant to the editor of the Rantoul (Ill.) Press, and after graduation, reported on higher education for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette.
He entered active duty in May 1965, graduated from the Department of Defense Information School, and served as an information officer for the Fort Bliss Army Training Center. He then trained in psychological operations at the JFK Center for Special Warfare, Fort Bragg, N.C., and in 1967 joined Advisor Team 21 at II Corps headquarters, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Pleiku, where he was promoted and fought in the Tet Offensive.
Released from active duty in October 1968, he joined the Army Reserve’s 495th Engineer Battalion at Middletown, serving as Headquarters Company commander, battalion adjutant, and assistant operations officer, tackling such community service projects as designing the Danville High School athletic field and the Burlington High School track. Don was promoted to major after moving to California, but left the Reserve in 1978.
He served Harris Enterprises newspapers as a reporter and desk editor with The Hawk Eye (1968-75), editor of the Camarillo (Calif.) Daily News (1975-76), desk editor with the Salina (Kan.) Journal; returned to The Hawk Eye in 1978 as wire editor and later city editor – and at the age of 39, during the Iran hostage crisis, enlisted as a buck sergeant in the Army Reserve’s 410th Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to staff sergeant in 1981 and platoon sergeant in 1983.
He returned to active duty in August 1983 as operations, training and mobilization NCO (and occasionally acting first sergeant) for infantry units in Middletown and Ottumwa. When the 410th disbanded in 1988, he joined the 5041st Reserve Forces School in Davenport as assistant operations NCO, and after promotion to master sergeant, taught senior NCO courses. In August 1995, he retired as a major with 29 years of active and reserve service.
His awards include Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Good Conduct Medal, expert marksmanship badges (rifle and pistol), missile marksman badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal (four campaign stars), Vietnam Service Ribbon, National Defense and Army service medals, Reserve Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal First Class.
Don was a member of Grace United Methodist Church when an earthquake in Haiti killed 316,000 and left 1.3 million homeless in 2010. He joined a work team that restored a village church and school, and organized and led a similar mission in 2011. Feeling God’s call during those Haiti missions, he joined the Church of the Nazarene and, at age 70, began studying for ministry.
In November 1995, he was elected to the Burlington City Council, serving as mayor pro tem (1996-97) and councilman (1998-99). Don served on the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, 1996-2000; Burlington Professional Baseball Assn. (Bees) board, 1996-2001; Downtown Task Force, 2000-01; Friends of Community Field board, 2002-04; and was a past member of Kiwanis Club.
He is a past board chair and honorary life member of the Chamber of Commerce; life member, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10102; and past chair, Burlington RecPlex Advisory Committee.
For nearly 50 years, Don was active in fast- and slow- pitch softball as a player, coach, manager, vice president of the Hawkeye Open slow-pitch league, and as an ASA-licensed umpire, working more than 1,200 games, including district and state tournaments. He was also licensed by the U.S. Parachute Assn. as a skydiving instructor and jumpmaster, and was treasurer of the Southeast Iowa Skyhawks sport parachute club.
He and Sandra enjoyed traveling around the United States, and having no grandchildren, spoiled a houseful of cats. Until forswearing alcohol upon his call to ministry, Don, for many years, enjoyed “one beer, no more than two” (he told his wife) with friends at the Buffalo Tavern; and more recently, as a teetotaler, enjoyed Flint Hills Church activities and nitpicking The Hawk Eye.
Surviving are Sandra and one son, Matthew S. Henry, Arvada, Colorado. Son Donald N. “Nick” Henry died in 2016.
The funeral service for Donald will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2026, with Pastors Scott Landon and Ron Jewett officiating. The United States Army Honor Guard will be providing military rites. Burial will be held in Sacred Heart Cemetery at a later date. The visitation will be held prior to the service at 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2026, at Lunning Chapel where the family will meet with friends.
Memorials have been established for Flint Hills Church and Des Moines County Humane Society.