DONALD D. PASCHKE age 77, beloved husband of the late Joyce (nee Roux); loving father of Judge Carolyn Paschke (husband Perrin Sah) and Scott Paschke (wife Susan); devoted grandfather of Garrett and Mallory Sah, and Henry and Beatrice Paschke; cherished son of the late Floyd and Eva (nee Kriynovich) Paschke; dearest brother of Lynda Cox (husband Anthony) and the late James Paschke (wife Jeannette) and Joan Parker (husband George, deceased); dear brother-in-law of Dawn (Bud) Hazlett and Lynn (Robert) Lantz; dearest uncle and great-uncle of many. Proud U.S. Navy Veteran.
Donald Dale Paschke was born July 20, 1943 in Cleveland, OH and passed away peacefully January 20, 2021. He lived in Middlefield for the past 11 years, and for 30 years in Newbury prior to that. Don first became a parishioner at St. Helen Catholic Church when the family moved to Newbury in 1979. Don loved to serve God and his fellow parishioners as a Eucharistic Minister and also as an active member of many Men’s Renewal Teams. In 1982 he was one of the founders of the Geauga Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, after several years of volunteering with a Pittsburgh area chapter. Don remained an active volunteer not only with Geauga Ducks Unlimited, but also with many other chapters in Northeast Ohio. In addition to his local volunteering efforts with Ducks Unlimited, he also served the Ducks Unlimited State Committee. Don also recently served on the Geauga Republican Party Central Committee.
Don was in the first graduating class of St. Peter Chanel High School in 1961. After graduating high school, Don volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy, which was one of his proudest achievements. Following his Naval service, Don attended Kent State University. Don married his wife Joyce in 1966 and they were blessed to have two children, Carolyn (“Carrie”) and Scott. He was immensely proud of both of them, as Carrie is a Geauga County Common Pleas Judge and Scott is a Senior Regional Director for Ducks Unlimited, the organization Don has been an active volunteer for well over 40 years. While raising Carrie and Scott, Don happily and enthusiastically served on the Newbury Recreation Board as baseball commissioner. He also coached baseball and was an assistant coach for the St. Helen CYO football team.
Don spent his career in machine tool sales, retiring in the late 2000s. He found his “retirement career” behind the gun counter, first with Gander Mountain, then with Great Lakes Outdoor Supply.
Don enjoyed Cleveland Indians baseball games, whether it was watching them on TV, listening to them on the radio, or jumping at every opportunity to go to a game. He also loved listening to classic country music. Don’s passion, however, was duck hunting, a tradition passed down to him by his father and one that he passed on to his own family. Don found the most joy in his life spending time with his four grandchildren: Garrett, Mallory, Henry and Beatrice. When Garrett was learning to talk, he gave Don the name “Punka”, which stuck. He took great pleasure in going to their sporting events, dance recitals, concerts and other activities. Most of all, “Punka” loved teaching all four of his grandchildren a love of duck hunting and every hunt with them brought him great joy. Don named the family hunting property “Piece of Heaven”, and that is what it was for him every time he hunted with his grandchildren in the duck blind on that property.
Don loved family reunions with cousins, beach vacations to Oak Island, NC with family and friends and spending Christmas with his family. Don’s beloved wife Joyce was unfortunately stricken with MS, and he showed his devotion in caring for her. Don lived his vow to love and honor Joyce, in sickness and health, and we take comfort in the fact that he is now rejoined with her. Don’s positive attitude toward life never wavered and he always looked for and found the best in everyone. Whenever you spent time with Don he would leave you feeling good about yourself. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Don to Geauga Chapter, Ducks Unlimited, PO Box 496, Newbury, 44065 or to St. Helen Catholic Church. Cremation by DeJohn Crematory. Due to COVID-19 concerns, a private funeral Mass will be held at St. Helen Catholic Church. The funeral Mass will be available on the St. Helen Church YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyB3TBINOXwTyvGreTZBPg on February 12, 2021 at 1:30pm. Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Don’s Life at the E.O.U.V. Club located at 8636 Pekin Rd., Novelty, Ohio 44072 on Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 3:00pm. If you are able to come, the family asks that you please RSVP for this event at http://donpaschke.rsvpify.com. Arrangements by DeJOHN FUNERAL HOME & CELEBRATIONS CENTER OF CHESTERLAND.
Charity Name: ST. HELEN
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Darla Hollowell
Carrie,
So very sorry for your loss. Our prayers and sympathy to you all. Please give Garrett and Mallory my sympathy and love.
Tim Ambrose
Beautifully written. He will truly be missed!
Don Coburn & Family
Scott , Carrie and families,
Grief is the price we all pay for love. We all need to grieve those we have loved and lost in this lifetime — not to sustain our connection to suffering, but to sustain our connection to love. Don’s passing is not something you’ll ever get over, just through! When we lose someone we love we must learn not to live without them, but to live with the love they left behind. Thinking of and praying for your families. May God bless and sustain you all during this time.
Marlene & Roger Thresher
Our deepest sympathy to you and your family at this sad, sad time.
Ed Brice
Carolyn, my condolences. Ed Brice
Holly and Todd Spangler
I’m so terribly sorry to hear this news, Carrie. Todd and I are thinking of you and send our thoughts and prayers and hugs.
Hallie Spangenberg
This was devastating news. Don was like a second father to me growing up. He got to witness me swear in front of my dad for the first time. The two of them just laughed (I repeated something that my dad said it had the word hell in it lol). The memories of picnics at your house and playing softball (well hitting lots of softballs) and botchy ball all the fine years at the ocean building awesome sand castles and so happy my parents have lots of pics of those. I just recently was telling my friends at work about all of those memories. The birthday cake we built for him. with beer cans for the candles lol. My best childhood memories included him. His generosity to invite us to the ocean year after year. My last memory I went to the reading of the grinch who stole Christmas at his work. Seeing him alway made me light up! You guys were the best neighbors ever. My girls will never experience that where we live. We have a good neighbor but he’s old his wife past a few years before we moved here. I am so sorry he gone but so happy for him to get to be with Joyce again. Hopefully she’s not cooking him illegal Oreo chicken for dinner lol. I love you all ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jeffrey Shall
He was a good man. He will be missed.
Marilyn Bottger
We are so sorry for your loss. I will always picture him approaching the altar at St. Helen to serve as Eucharistic Minister.
May the angels lead him into Paradise!
Marilyn Bottger
Gary Conkol
Don was a good friend to everyone he met. His friendly and calming demeanor will stand as an inspiration to all who knew him. I certainly appreciate the short time I knew him
Gina Meyer
Don was a great man, truly one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and I am very grateful for the many memories we made in DU. Thank you for sharing all of the beautiful pictures. He will be greatly missed and his legacy will continue on for eternity.
Ed Ryder
CAROLYN and FAMILY. My thoughts and prayers for all of the family. I have known Don for many years as we moved to Newbury in 1979.
But I really enjoyed talking family, politics and guns with him since he became active in the Republican Party. Everyone who knew him will miss him, especially me, but we know he is in a better place with those he held dear in life.
Sister Margaret Hartman
My prayers and sympathy. May the many happy memories you hold in your hearts be gifts of grace and healing.
Pam Burton
Our hearts are so saddened by the loss of Don and our thoughts and prayers go out to you all. We will miss him! Bruce and Pamela Burton
Robert J. Renner
My sympathy to Don’s family. I enjoyed seeing him at Geauga DU events. On occasion, when launching my duck boat at Elden-Russell Park, he always comment he liked my hunting rig. A true gentlemen with a passion for family and life.
Richard E. Legan
Carolyn & Scott,
I worked with your dad, at Motch & Merryweather, back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. I was a young inside salesman that aspired to become a territory salesman selling machinery. Your father mentored me and taught me the tools of the trade. He not only showed me how to sell, he showed me what integrity was. I am now the president of a machine company and I owe a lot of my success to the lessons I learned from your dad. You have my sincere condolences on your loss. The world has lost a very good man.
John and Peggy Bruening
Carrie, Perrin and family,
There are no words that can express our sympathy at the death of Don…he was an amazing man who touched so many lives and it was an honor to know him. You are in our thoughts and prayers…
Jeff Herrick
Scott and Family,
Your Dad was a great partner and friend of the Ohio Division of Wildlife and many of it’s employees. He was always there willing to help on any wildlife or conservation initiative, many which will benefit generations to come! Always a friendly smile and warm handshake. We will miss him and thank you and your family for sharing him with us.