Donald R. Blickensderfer

Illinois State Police — Springfield, IL

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch September 26, 1970

Age 38

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 66

Incident

Trooper Donald R. Blickensderfer was killed when his squad car collided head-on with another car on U.S. 36, one mile west of Pierson Station, in Piatt County. The accident occurred just before 11:00 p.m. The driver and passenger of the other car involved also died in the accident. Trooper Donald Blickensderfer, a Navy veteran who served in the Korean War, joined the Illinois State Police on February 24th, 1963. He was originally assigned to District 15, Oak Brook and transferred to District 10, Pesotum in August of 1966.

Survivors

Trooper Blickensderfer is survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, brother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-3FF773BF
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Donald is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Blickensderfer gave the Illinois State Police 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Illinois State Police

Type State Police

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity ilsp.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 26, 1970

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Donald R. Blickensderfer served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Donald R. Blickensderfer is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Illinois State Police, 49 of 67 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 73.1% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois State Police

of 67 officers

73.1% Accident

IL — Statewide

354

of 1,318 officers

26.9% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident