Page created by: The Denniston Family

DONALD WILLIAM DENNISTON
1/6/1921 – 2/20/2015

Donald Denniston passed away peacefully at his home in Gainesville, FL surrounded by his children on February 20, 2015. He was born in Sioux City, Iowa to Donald William and Gail Kennedy Denniston. He graduated from Palmerton High School, Palmerton, PA and earned his BA in Chemistry and Physics from Hobart College in 1942.

From 1943-1946, Denniston served with the Army Air Corp in the Pacific Theater as a member of the 315th Bomb Wing, flying B-29 missions as the tail gunner in the “Battered Bat”. He was a member of the “Last Mission” of WW II, flying on the night of August 14-15, 1945.

After an honorable discharge, he earned an MS degree in Physics from Lehigh University in 1948. He moved to Pittsburgh, PA where he worked for the US Bureau of Mines as a research physicist, co-authoring several papers on turbulent flames. At Mellon Institute, as head of the PPG Fiber Glass Fellowship, he patented a process for “flame blowing” glass fibers. He worked at PPG Industries from 1958 until his retirement in 1986. As head of Fiber Glass Research and later as Manager of Process and Quality Control of the Fiber Glass Division, he authored several patents, all related to glass melting and glass fiber formation. He worked to make these processes commercial for insulation and continuous strand glass fiber production and was responsible for improvements in furnace design, waste heat recovery, and pollution abatement.

After retirement, he and his wife Betty moved to Gainesville, FL. He served as a consultant on glass furnace operations in Europe, South America, Asia, and the US and served on the Industrial Advisory Panel for the US Department of Energy. He also served on the Gainesville Energy Advisory Committee.

In retirement, he and Betty enjoyed traveling the world and visiting their children and grandchildren, near and far. Although a lifetime learner, it is his family and dear friends who brought him the most joy. He will be remembered as a gentleman and scholar.

Don was the loving husband of Elizabeth Ellen Hamlett Pine Denniston (deceased 2013) and of Elizabeth Baron Erwin Denniston (deceased 1965). He was married to Elizabeth (Beth) Denniston from 1949 until her death. They had four children. He gained three more children when he married Elizabeth (Betty) Pine in 1967. Don was the proud father of Susan Denniston and husband James Glinski of Scituate, MA, William Denniston and wife Hilda of Northville, MI, David Denniston and husband Todd Yancey of San Francisco, CA, Richard Denniston and wife Marina Sansiñena of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ellen Pine (deceased), Sherwood Pine and wife Nancy of Keystone Heights, FL, John Pine (deceased 2014) and wife Rosel of Orange Park, FL; and proud grandfather of Elizabeth Markowitz and husband Neil, Alendra Pine, Nicholas Pine, Kristina Denniston, Andrew Denniston, Tomás Denniston, and Lucas Denniston. His sister Dorothy Gail Denniston preceded him in death.

Don died of Parkinson’s Disease. He donated his body to the University of Florida Neuromedicine Human Brain Tissue Bank. Any donations may be made to Haven Hospice, 4200 NW 90th Boulevard, Gainesville, FL 32606 or to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at www.michaeljfox.org.