Donald William Slaymaker
Sergeant 1st Class, U.S. Army (Retired)
Donald Slaymaker, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully Sunday, November 17, 2013 at home, surrounded by his family, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born May 9, 1945, to the late William and Dorthea (Gross) Slaymaker in Brooklyn, New York.
Don grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he fell in love with his high school sweetheart, Marleen Smith. He joined the Army in 1962, and married Marleen on May 7, 1964. Don was stationed in Germany for two years as a Field Artillery Lineman, then he and Marleen began an Army career that took their young family to Oklahoma, Maine, New Jersey (where he became a Nike Hercules Missileman) and California (as a Hospital Patient Administrator) until Don was dispatched to Thailand during the Vietnam War. Upon his return, Don?s assignments as NCOIC took his family to West Point, NY, then to Iran, Missouri, Alaska, Maryland, and finally to Fort Lee in Virginia where he retired from the Army. While at Stewart AFB in West Point, as the NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge), Don also had ambulance duty from time to time and once helped deliver a baby in someone?s home. After retirement, Don worked for Lawn Doctor for 11 years, 5500 Condominiums for 9 years, and Stemmle Plumbing for 3 years.
Don?s love of the outdoors was shared by his wife and daughters, who enjoyed their many family adventures. Army relocations often became extended family camping trips; they made sure to stop and explore the variety of new landscapes, customs and opportunities of each unique place. Don was an accomplished hunter and fisherman. Besides deer and small game, Don successfully hunted moose and wild boar. While stationed in Maine he spent months setting up the perfect bear hunting trip, but that was foiled when the US closed the missile site. Fishing was also a lifelong passion; throughout his adult life Don maintained a rod and reel repair service wherever he lived.
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Marleen(Smith) Slaymaker; their daughters Lissa Schooley and husband Bill, Sonja Lowe and husband Bill, and Michele Moore and husband Mike; grandchildren Christopher Thompson, Jessica Schattilly, Amy Jo Schooley, Christopher Moore, Madison Brown and Corey Moore; and six great-grandchildren.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, William and Dorthea (Gross) Slaymaker, sisters Connie Corangie and Sandra Cramer, and brother Richard Slaymaker.
Family and friends may call at Michels & Lundquist Funeral Home on Thursday, November 21, 2013, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., with services beginning at 6:00. Funeral home address is 5228 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey. For inquiries call 800-303-1957. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network(pancan.org).The email address for donations is poochhie823@gmail.com
Though short in height, Don lived life large, with love and humor. As Marleen likes to say, ?He was a little man who left a big footprint.? We will miss him dearly.
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love you
june
On behalf of all the 5100 Monument Avenue Condominium Association Residents and Staff, I want to extend our deepest sympathy.
Don was a wonderful guy and a pleasure to work with. We are so thankful that he came by to see us when he was in Richmond.
Don enjoyed life and loved his family, he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Your friends at 5100.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you always
Rich and I are sorry for your loss of Donny. You are in our thoughts
Thank you for the last 49 1/2 years. Not always perfect (how boring that would be) but we did them together and that is HUGE.
Loved you then. Love you now. Always have. Always will.
Love you more
Wife
At least you have your fireworks partner there with you. So set them up good guys !!
All my love always
Wife
Now it's Christmas time and all the memories are flooding back...how the kids used to decorate you as you fixed the lights on the tree....it was always you who put the angel on the tree..that is Nick's job now....
how you only wanted to wrap even boxes and refused to put ribbons and bows on.....our very early Christmas' staying up half the night putting toys together for the girls...the Christmas eve gatherings at the house...the quiet time after everyone had left and the kids asleep and all was done how we would sit on the couch or lay in the bean bag and just look at the tree and lights with music playing, talking about the past year and at midnight wish each other a Merry Christmas and seal it with a long hug and kiss. These are all wonderful memories and I am blessed to have them but they can only do so much..they don't have arms to hold me or lips to kiss me or words to assure me everything will be alright or to whispher "goodnight...I love you"
Loved you then, love you now,
Always have, always will
Wife. ???
Donald W. Slaymaker