TURNERS FALLS, MA Don A. MacPhail, 63, of Millers Falls Road, died September 23, 2011. He was born in Lowell on March 3, 1948, the son of Basil and Faith (Wallace) MacPhail. He graduated from Chelmsford High School and received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Massachusetts. He had been a resident of Turners Falls for over 25 years.
Don was an engineer for Amtrak for many years until 2010. Previously, he was Dean of Students at Turners Falls High School and was a patrolman for the Montague Police Department.
He served in the U.S. Army with the 4th Division’s 3rd Brigade LRRPS and K Company, 75th Rangers in Vietnam. Don was a POW for over four years in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Cross of Gallantry with palm.
Don was an avid reader, history buff, sports fan and gun collector.
Besides his mother of Chelmsford, he leaves his wife, the former Frances C. O’Rourke; a son, Ian MacPhail, at home; three daughters, Lisa Vets of Manchester, N.H., Laura MacPhail of Lakeland, Fla., and Dawn MacPhail of Deerfield, N.H.; a brother, James MacPhail of Lothian, Md.; seven grandchildren and two nieces. He was predeceased by a daughter, Barbara Downing in 2009, and by a brother, Scott MacPhail.