Services Announced For Late PA State Trooper Who Died On Duty

Funeral services have been announced for the Pennsylvania State Trooper, stationed in Montgomery County, who passed away while on duty in Bucks County last week.

Trooper Donald C. Brackett, 58, will be remembered at a Life Celebration on Tuesday, May 28 at John F. Givnish Funeral Home in Philadelphia. It's located at 10975 Academy Road.

Relatives, friends, and all law enforcement are welcome to join the event, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

His funeral mass will be held Wednesday, May 29 at 11 a.m. at The Church of St. Andrew in Newtown.

>>PA State Trooper, Based In Montco, Dies On Duty In Bucks County

Brackett was on patrol on I-276 in Bucks County on May 18 when he died after suffering an undisclosed "medical episode," authorities said. He had been stationed out of Troop T in King of Prussia.

In his obituary, he was remembered as a fiercely devoted Marine and officer who also had a prankster side. A marathoner and athlete, he leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

Brackett's obituary is included below courtesy of John F. Givnish Funeral Home

Pennsylvania State Trooper Donald C. Brackett passed away while on duty on May 18, 2019. Don is survived by his beloved wife Marta (nee Moyett)'; his loving daughters Gabriella M. Brackett and Brianna M. Brackett; his father Mickey G. Brackett; and his siblings Mickie Ann Blizzard (Gary) and Frank David "Dave" Brackett (Cheryl).

Don was born in Tennessee, but after a couple moves, the Brackett family settled into calling Texas home. He spent his adolescent years running around his neighborhood all day with the new friends he would make everywhere he went. From playing sports like football, basketball and track to playing pranks like hooking fishing line to dollar bills and seeing if any passing cars would stop to take a bite.

As Don went into his teenage and young adult years, not much changed. He was still his goofy, fun-loving, prankster self, and competed in numerous triathlons, road races, and the 1993 Marine Corps Marathon.

While at Texas A&M University, Don made friendships and memories full of tradition that he looked back fondly on. He also discovered one of the many loves he would come to have— the US Marine Corps (USMC). And so, while most 20 year-olds spent their college summer breaks taking it easy, Don decided to enlist into the USMC and spend his summer transforming into a true Marine, through and through, at Parris Island.

After graduating A&M, he went into full active duty and spent the next 10 years of his life protecting this great country and building up rank to Captain Brackett. It wasn't until he was stationed in Philadelphia that he would go on to meet the woman that would later become his wife and the mother of his two daughters.

After being honorably discharged from the Corps he spent a few years trying to figure out how he could serve again. He found his answer in the Pennsylvania State Police. He has been a trooper for the last 17 years, serving at the Media, Dublin, Trevose, and King of Prussia barracks. He was recently advanced to Trooper First Class, and celebrated with a new motorcycle. He had plans to drive his new Aggie maroon bike on a cross-country road trip to visit his dad in Dallas, Texas.

Relatives, friends, PA State Troopers and all law enforcement are invited to share in Don's Life Celebration Tuesday, May 28th from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM at John F. Givnish of Academy Rd. 10975 Academy Rd. Phila, PA 19154 and to participate in his funeral mass Wednesday, May 29th 11:00 AM at The Church of St. Andrew, 81 Swamp Rd., Newtown, PA 18940. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers Don's family requests that memorial contributions in his memory to the Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd., Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057 semperfifund.org or Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 78516, Topeka, KS 66675 woundedwarriorproject.org. To share your fondest memories of Don visit www.lifecelebration.com