Don Houck was born in Delano, Calif., on April 4, 1924 and died on Dec. 16, 2017, at the age of 92.

Don attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in the class of 1947. While at the academia he met Ailsa Mary Goldie from Flushing, N.Y., on a blind date and they were married in February 1947.

Don spent 23 years in the Navy, initially serving on destroyers before attending flight school.

His career as a Navy carrier pilot included service in Korea and Vietnam, where he was the commander of Heavy Attack Squadron 4, based in Oak Harbor, flying A-3 Skywarriors and was navigator of the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany.

He retired as a captain in 1969 and settled in the Pacific Northwest where he taught math and physics in Bellingham.

He and Ailsa lived in Bellingham for 43 years before moving to DuPont, Wash., in 2011.

Don is survived by his beloved wife, Ailsa, their six children, Drew (Theda), Donald (Julia), Nancy, Douglas, Marty (Julie), Susan (Greg), 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Don will be remembered at a celebration of his life at 1 p.m. on Feb. 3, 2018 at the DuPont Community Presbyterian Church.