Obituary of Donald Trussell

Donald H. Trussell, passed away at the Winchester Hospital on Saturday afternoon, February 1, 2014. The beloved husband of the late Sylvia (George) he was 80 years old. Don formed his own company and created, designed, built and installed the Theater of Electricity exhibit at the Museum of Science in Boston in the 1970’s. It housed a 2.5 million volt Van de Graaf generator that is used to demonstrate lightning, conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. The exhibit with it daily shows has thrilled and captivated both children and adults visiting the museum for the past 40 years. Don was born and raised in Sterling. He was a graduate of Worcester Academy Class of 1951. He then attended WPI and Worcester Junior College before graduating from Boston University in 1956. He married his late wife Sylvia shortly after graduating and they both were employed in the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory. Don was an engineer and Sylvia was an administrative assistant. It was an exciting time to be with NASA, the Soviet Union had launched Sputnick, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower entered the United States into the Space Race! As an engineer, Don specialized in designing heat shield re-entry materials for the space crafts. They stayed in Virginia for 5 years, before they returned to Massachusetts and settled in Burlington in 1960. Don went to work at Avco in Wilmington for 10 years and then started his own engineering company. Don was a great thinker. He loved challenges and innovations. He was very well respected in his field. He took great pride in his accomplishments and contributions to Aeronautics and helping the United States send the first astronaut to the moon. He believed in the importance of education. Don also had a great wealth of knowledge and loved having a “Good Discussion” about current events, technology, or any other topic of the day. Don had a loving and unyielding devotion to his wife of 57 years, Sylvia, who passed away last August. He was the cousin of David Pineo & his wife Gail of Sterling, Royal Pineo, Jr. & his wife Louise of Gardner, Diane Hibbert & her husband Jackson of Dennis Port, Richard Trussell of Lancaster, and Kenneth Trussell of Hebron, NH. Graveside services will be held at Hillside Cemetery, Clinton Road, Sterling on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 PM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Arrangements under the Direction of the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, Burlington.