Donald Lynn McElroy

On July 30, 2026, Donald (Don) Lynn McElroy, 64, passed away following a many-year-long battle with Multiple System Atrophy – Parkinsons disease.  
Don was born on February 2, 1962, to James Steven Sr. and Evelyn (Catron) McElroy in Wichita, KS.  Don graduated from Wichita Northwest High School in 1980.  Following graduation, he received his Emergency Medical Intensive Care Technician (EMICT) certification at the age of 18 from the University of Kansas and began working at Sedgwick County EMS as a paramedic.  
Following Sedgwick County EMS, Don became one of the founding pilots and paramedics at EagleMed LifeFlight, where he became the program director.  After helping build the company, he made a career change into law enforcement, working for the City of Goddard, Kansas.  He worked his way through the ranks and retired as Chief of Police in March 2017. Emergency medicine, law enforcement, and public service were personal passions and professional callings that would last more than 40 years, serving countless individuals, patients, and their families.  
In 1988, Don married Ann (Bugner) McElroy.  They had two children, daughter Cheryl and son Brian. They later divorced. In 2017, Don married Kelly (Powell) and gained a son, Jameson.  Don and Kelly enjoyed a wonderful life together, sharing countless cross-country motorcycle trips, adventures, and spending quality time with family and friends. 
Don is preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn McElroy.  Survivors include his wife, Kelly; daughter Cheryl (John) Sellers and their children Violet and Archer; son Brian McElroy; stepson Jameson; brothers James Steven Jr. (Mary) McElroy; Robert (Janet) McElroy; David (Bonnie) McElroy; Kelly’s parents, siblings and their spouses; and many nieces, nephews, and beloved friends. 
Don was a devoted public servant and loved his family. He will always be remembered for his antics at work and home, sense of adventure, love of nature, animals, the mountains, and the ocean. Don loved motorcycles, fast cars, flying planes and helicopters, and had a never-ending devotion to EMS and law enforcement.  
A celebration of life will be held in the next few weeks in Wichita. 
 

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