Donald Russell Day, age 89, of Munith, MI, passed away on April 3, 2024. He was born on August 6, 1934, in Muscatine, IA, to Harold Russell Day and Lela Viola Brase Day.
He attended Muscatine grade schools and Muscatine High School, graduating in 1952. Don pursued higher education at the Indiana Institute of Technology and subsequently held employment in Ft. Wayne in the engineering field as senior designer. In 1964, he was hired at Sparton Electronics in Jackson MI, where he met the love of his life, as he liked to say, Miss Diana Parker. They married in 1965.
Don later worked for Aeroquip, Commonwealth Associates, and Consumers Energy in Jackson, and in 1996 retired from Consumers Energy as senior technical analyst at their Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert, MI. After retiring, he worked part time for several years at Applewood Landscaping in Jackson, doing estimating and sometimes assisting on the jobs he estimated, an outdoor job which he enjoyed immensely.
Don was a gifted handyman doing most of the finish work, including electrical, plumbing, and dry walling, on their home built on family farm property in rural Munith. He then built a pole barn and fenced in a large field for a horse pasture. He loved raising and riding horses, and mentoring kids with horses, for many years. He was a local 4-H leader in Horsemanship and volunteered on the Jackson Country 4-H Council for many years, was 4-H Horse Superintendent at the County Fairs, and judged horse shows. Don was also a gifted woodcarver, carving many beautiful pieces of wooden art. He showed his work in local and state woodcarving shows, receiving several awards. He was a member of local and state woodcarving clubs, and he loved mentoring both adults and kids who were interested in woodcarving. Don also enjoyed golfing and watching golf tournaments, and he read a lot of books, including his Bible every morning.
Don was a kind and loving family man, who would help anyone who needed it. He was very much loved by his family and friends. A devout man, he was a dedicated member of Christ Lutheran Church in Michigan Center, MI for over 50 years.
Don is survived by his wife of 59 years, Diana; three daughters, Gayle Popa, Jayne Keith, and Lynda West; seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Jerry Day and Thomas Day, and sisters, Janet Herring and Doris Snyder. He was preceded in death by his father, Harold Russell Day, mother Lela Viola Day, and brother, Larry Day.
A Memorial service in honor of Don will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11:00 a.m., at Christ Lutheran Church, 4250 Page Ave, Michigan Center, MI. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. A luncheon will be held in Christ Lutheran's Community Center after the service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Christ Lutheran Church, or ELCA World Hunger, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009.
Arrangements by Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home Stockbridge, MI.
