Donald Patrick Blair

In the early morning hours of September 26th, Donald Patrick Blair peacefully passed in his sleep after a year and a half battle with cancer.

He was born August 31, 1964 to the late Joseph and Jeanne Blair.  The son of a Navy sailor, Don spent many happy childhood years on the Isle of Palms in SC.  A time he remembers as some of the happiest in his life and he later shared the beautiful island with his family for vacations. He felt a great peace in sitting on the beach, breathing the salt air and watching the waves.

When his father retired from the Navy, they then moved to a small farm in Blackfoot, ID where Don found a love of horses, chickens and riding a tractor in an open field.

Don later moved to Medford, OR to attend business college.  While going to school he was first a cook and then an assistant manager at Elmers Restaurant when a girl named Nancy walked in to interview for a hostess position.  That started their adventure together and two years later on August 15, 1990 they stood before a judge in Blackfoot, ID for a lifetime commitment. That was meant literally, the judge threatened them with jail if they ever showed up in his courtroom requesting a divorce.  He stated, “When I marry you, you STAY married.”

It WAS an adventure.  Dons’ grandmother called him a Gypsy and the couple lived in Idaho, Montana and Colorado before settling in Paoli, IN and buying a home. Along the journey they were blessed with three sons and an array of much-loved pets.  Animals gravitated to Don, they could sense a good heart.

Life often wasn’t easy but there was always an excess of love.  Don said he had two very important things in his life, the first was his love for God and the second his love for his family.  He wasn’t a man who attended church but his relationship with God was strong, he prayed often and taught his family to do the same.  What he always told his boys was, “Be kind, you don’t hurt people.” He also taught them to be a family, to stand by each other, work together, love each other and lift up whoever is down.

He was simply an amazing husband and father and you were a fortunate person if you could call him your friend. He was always there when needed for a long talk, a shoulder to cry on and a lecture if you had it coming. He was there for band and sporting events to cheer his boys on and later took on the task of homeschooling his youngest. He was also one of the hardest working individuals you would ever meet, he excelled at every job he worked due to his honesty and superior work ethic.

Don was truly one of a kind. He will be missed fiercely but we know that he is home now, free of pain and worry for those he hated to leave behind.

Don is survived by his wife Nancy, his sons Christopher, Connor, Collin and daughter Cassie (Matthew) Rybkaa.  Also, his brother Tim (Jaye) Blair, sister Laura (Tim) Gardner, mother-in-law Betty Heikkinen and sisters-in-law Marie (Clyde) Sellers and Jayne (Bill) Hoffert as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Jeanne Blair, father-in-law Ronald Heikkinen and sisters-in-law Ruth Ann Smith, Sherry Atkins, Dona Tait and her husband Stuart.

Cremation was chosen a memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday October 7,2023 at the Mt Pleasant Baptist Church 3986 N Co Rd 200 E Orleans, IN 47452 with pastor Jared Hardin to officiate. Dillman-Scott funeral home 226 west Campbell St Paoli, IN 47454 oversees the arrangements.   

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