Donald F. Everett, 86 of St. Petersburg died peacefully April 2, 2013, under the loving care of the staff at Carrington Place.
Born in Lewisburg, PA, he grew up in Chicago. He graduated from the Syracuse University College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a BS degree in Forestry, exceling as a member of the Orange Men’s rowing team. Donald was a Navy pilot during the Korean War and retired as a Commander in the Naval Reserves. He had a successful career as a stockbroker in Miami and Orlando. Donald helped out wherever he could, including volunteering as a short wave radio dispatcher for Seminole County and as a leader of his daughters’ Girl Scout troop.
As a teenager he rallied his neighborhood friends to start a Boy Scout troop, ultimately earning Eagle Scout rank. He traveled with his college buddy Bob Perkins from New York to Hollywood in their Model A Ford, picking cotton to cover expenses. Donald had the ability to build, fix and make anything for any purpose. The ingenuity and quality of his work was inspiring. He enjoyed motor home travel with his wife, and they treasured finding their cat, Chessie on one of their trips.
Donald was fun to be with and had a gift for spontaneous humor. He has given his family, friends and coworkers so many memories of his creative skits and pranks. In his later years Donald was appreciative of help from others and expressed his gratitude with his thumbs up and contagious smile.
Donald was preceded in death by his brother Harry S. Everett, Jr., an Army Captain, who was killed in action at age 27 in the Korean War. Also predeceased by his wife, Millicent S. Everett and his former wife, Priscilla J. King.
Donald is survived by his sister, Margaret Louise Adam; his daughters, Patty McMaster (Chet) and Diane Murphy (Ed); stepsons, Richard Veeneman (Gina), Paul and Ben Perry; nephews, Alexander and Sinclair Adam; niece, Margaret Adam; and eight grandchildren, Liz, Tim, Scott, Thomas, Melani, Kendall, Max and Amy.
Donald and his family would like to thank A Tropical Paradise Assisted Living Facility and Elaine Outar, Carmel Condon, and Rhonda Joseph (and Brandon, Ethan and Jada) for their outstanding and fun loving care of Donald the last four years. Additional thanks to Elaine Haaksma, Janice Lautner, Pamela Marbet, Dr. Gina Schell, Dr. Eric Diner, Dr. David Pascia and their staffs, Dr. Ernest Frierson, Dr. Steven Gross, the nurses at Baycare Home Care, the doctors and staff of Bayfront Medical Center and St. Anthony’s Hospital, Dr. Norman Brodsky, and the Neuro-Oncology Program of Moffitt Cancer Center.
Donald’s remains will be dispersed by his family per his wishes and a marker added to the Everett family plot in Slatington, PA. If you would like to donate to the Korean War Project that maintains records and updates for Korean War patriots, you may do so at www.koreanwar.org.
Please share your memories of Donald and sign the guestbook below.
I will never forget all the fun outings and time I spent with Donald. He was a joy to be around and always had a smile on his face !! My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time !
I am Gina’s older sister and remember Don as a happy and sweet man. God bless him and his entire family.
Don was and will always be the type of man I aspire to be. Words could never convey the admiration and appreciation I had for him. It’s an honor to pass on to my children so many of the wonderful traits (way to many to list) that Don possessed. I couldn’t have been more blessed than the day he made me a part of his life. I Love You Don.
I am Gina’s younger sister, Cindy. Don was such a happy and lovely man. My deepest condolences to your entire family.
My wishes go to the family…..My special time with Donald on Tuesdays. Going to the mall and eating soft pretzels, getting our picture taken with Santa and the many movies we have shared will stay with me. Thanks Donald
Patty, Diane, and family, I am truly sorry to hear of Don’s passing. He was always so kind to me and my family. I loved spending time with him and Millicent over the years. He always had an easy smile and made me laugh regularly. I will always remember him for the loving, strong, patient and kind man I knew him as. Richard does love to tell our children funny jokes and things he had learned from Don, growing up. He was a great father to Richard, too. I believe he had so much to do with the wonderful man Richard has become. My sincere condolences. Love, Gina Veeneman
Don is greatly missed at A Tropical Paradise ALF. We admired him for his contentment, never complained, everything was Ok for him even when he did not feel well. He leaves us lots of Good Memories,especially his pleasant smile. During this time, may all his loved ones know they are in God’s arms and our prayers.
Today,God received A Very Special Angel.Don smiled with his loving eyes and enjoyed his time on earth with such a devoted caring family.His legacy lives on in the wonderful daughter’s he leaves behind.They made him proud everyday of his life with their tender loving care.He must have been an amazing father.It was an honor to have met him and I remember him as such a gentleman.Always looking out for his fellow friends at Tropical Paradise especially at his much loved birthday parties.I miss our ice cream days and seeing the joy that he received whenever we shared our chocolate time together.His eyes and smile would light up any room.Gone Too Soon But Never Forgotten Thank You for the time we shared.You were so very dear….God Blessed Me When I Met You and Your Lovely Devoted Family!!!Now Our Guardian Angel
watches over us from way up high with Virginia and Ms.Kay by his side.Miss you all but I keep you in my heart!!!!
Sincerely,Pamela Marbet
i love you so much you were so fun to go to Disney world with and go on rides with. i would spend weeks with you and grandma. we have videos of when i was younger having so much fun you thought me how to ride my bike with out training wheels. you were just so much to be with we would always go in the water in Orlando. let the trains squash our pennies. walk around the neighbor hood have talks every time. you will never be forgotten rip. i love you grandpa!!!
i love you so much you were so fun to go to Disney world with and go on rides with. i would spend weeks with you and grandma. we have videos of when i was younger having so much fun you thought me how to ride my bike with out training wheels. you were just so much to be with we would always go in the water in Orlando. let the trains squash our pennies. walk around the neighbor hood have talks every time. you will never be forgotten rip. i love you grandpa!!!
dornald was a very good person he was like a grandfather to me and my children we love him my kids enjoy going playing ball at the park with him he is always smiling and never complain of anything even when he was in pain. my kids will miss him alot and miss going to the park we enjoy that . My prayers are with the family . may he rest in peace. from Rhonda brandon ethan and carmel.
I never had a better friend.
It is a sad day.
Don was my best college friend. We rowed together. He had a car and we traveled in and around Syracuse. Don was fun to be with. I’ll never forget the wonderful times we had together. Looking forward to the time we will meet in heaven and be together forever with our Lord and Savior
I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Everett however I did have the pleasure of befriending his daughter Diane and her family. After reading the wonderful write up, it is now perfectly clear from whom Diane inherited her dynamic personality and sense of humor. Mr Everett seems like an incredible man. My condolences to all who love and will miss him. May God be with you now & always.
It was truly my honor to have known Don. He was a delightful, kind, caring, intelligent person. The world lost one great person.
Donald, thank you for the service to our country. I am thankful for my freedoms that you have fought for. I am also thankful for being able to serve you in a helpful comfortable setting. Thanks for your trust and for the memories. God Bless.
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