Donald William Squires

Don was born November 6, 1931 in Springfield, the son of William and Francine DeVeiga Squires. He married Mary Frances Sgro on November 6, 1954 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Don graduated from Lincoln Grade School and Feitshans High School where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He attended Springfield Junior College and Rolla School of Mines and Minerals. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict and was in the Air National Guard.

Don's career began in broadcasting. From 1955-1963, he worked as a popular news announcer and DJ under the air name of Don Osborn for radio stations WTIM (Taylorville), WCVS (Springfield), WIRL (Peoria), KQEO (Albuquerque, NM) and KRMG (Tulsa, OK). In 1963, until retiring after 30 years from WICS-TV in Springfield, he worked as the Local Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager and General Sales Manager for the television station, and received numerous professional awards. After realizing retirement was not what he thought it would be, he returned to work as the Clean Air Act Ombudsman at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, retiring again after 10 years.

Don was an avid golfer and enjoyed attending political functions with his wife, spending time with his children and grandchildren, family lunches and dinners, the camaraderie of daily breakfast and lunch with "the boys" and the Wednesday night dinner group. He was a 34 year member of Illini Country Club, and volunteered as a Samaritan at St. John's Hospital. Don was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and uncle, instilling values of integrity, hard work and ethics. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Betty Lou Alexander. He is survived by his wife, Mary Frances of Springfield; one son, Frank (Kelli) Squires of Springfield; one daughter, Elizabeth (Richard) Delheimer of Springfield; three grandchildren, Amanda Noonan of St. Louis, MO, Christopher Noonan of Jacksonville, FL, and Maggie Delheimer of Culver City, CA; a brother-in-law, Larry Richardson; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation: Family will receive friends from 9:00-10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 245 N. Amos, Springfield.

Funeral Mass: 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at St. Agnes Catholic Church with Rev. Robert J. Jallas celebrant. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Hospital Samaritans or St. John's Hospice Program.