Donald Meddie St. Peter

Donald Meddie St. Peter, 87, died peacefully in Wichita, Kansas, on December 14, 2025, surrounded by his wife of nearly twenty years, Loda Knowles St. Peter, and other family. Don was born April 5, 1938, in a home built by his great-grandfather who helped settle what in 1888 became the town of Damar, Kansas. Don’s family moved to Wichita to help build airplanes during the war but frequently visited Damar; he eventually married and had five sons with his first wife, C. Kayleene (Conyac) St. Peter who died in 2022, whose family also happened to be French Canadian settlers in that same area.

Don graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Wichita in 1956 and earned a mechanical engineering degree from Wichita State University in 1967. He enjoyed a 33-year career at Beech Aircraft (at one point known as Raytheon), which started even before he received his engineering degree. He served in many roles including an accident investigator, safety officer, the FAA Delegated Option Authority and as program manager, and he was elected President of the Supervisors Club. During this time, Don also served for 20 years in the US Air Force Air National Guard as a nuclear safety officer, retiring with the rank of Captain.

Don first met Loda while both were working at Beech, a woman that would become his second wife some decades later. Don was an active and present father serving as coach for multiple sports teams and leader of the Cub Scouts at St. Thomas Aquinas. In what today would be known as side gigs, he farmed 160 acres of wheat and soybeans, was an active rental property landlord and was the proprietor of the Mug & Jug Club for 20+ years.

Upon retirement, he moved to The Villages, Florida, where he resided for nearly 25 years during which time he married Loda Knowles, who survives him. In 2024, Don and Loda returned to Wichita to be near family. Don was constantly present in the lives of his four adult sons Bob (Anne), John (Carolyn), Steven (Francois) and David (Kristine), his seven grandchildren (Madeleine, Jack, Lauren, Caroline, Austin, Claire and William), and he recently met his first two great-grandchildren (Thomas and Millicent). Don was actively involved in the lives of Loda’s adult children Jim, Brenda, Tom and Steve, and her grandchildren (David, Ashley and Alex), and great grandchildren (Atlas and Lowen). During a long and happy retirement, Don enjoyed time with friends, played golf and tennis, worked tirelessly landscaping his yard, traded equities, fully restored a beloved 1940 Plymouth Coupe, served on the neighborhood homes association, and still found the time to volunteer as a Guardian Ad Litem for children in the foster care system, at one time serving as a foster parent. The family will honor Don at a memorial service for immediate family and fulfill his wish to have his remains interred at a national military cemetery. Gifts in memory of Don can be made to the Florida Guardian Ad Litem Foundation, P.O. Box 10688, Tallahassee, FL 32302.

Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.