k2 your father  was a good and tolerant man   good memories of him the meatballs the glug   he made feel like family

Don was such a fun loving guy with an easy smile.  Loved spending time with him and Sigrid!   Amazing people.  

I ran across this picture of dad on his smartphone that we got for him. Like mine, it is actually a "dumbphone," because it never does what I want it to do. I know dad was frustrated with his phone on occasion, trying to figure out how to work the darn thing. There was a series of pictures where I think he was trying to figure out how to do a selfie and this is one of them. Totally cute!

My dad was a funny guy - he used puns all the time to make people smile, or groan, but he always smiled at his own puns which was adorable. He was a terrible flirt with the ladies, right up until the end with his female nurses. He loved women; I guess he had to, being surrounded with women all his life - a wife and three daughters. He also enjoyed male company though, the boyfriends we brought over, the men we married. There were many nights at the dinner table spent talking over after dinner drinks for hours while we girls rolled our eyes and kicked our guys under the table to get going, but most wanted to stay and visit with dad and mom, and truly enjoyed their company (those that didn't want to stay, or didn't like our parents were soon history). While he and my mom had a few friends through the years that I recall, my dad’s family, and extended family, were his friends. 

Although in later life some would say my dad had a knack for “break-fixing” things, he was a very handy guy. He could do electrical work, fix cars, do plumbing and any number of remodel/refinishing work; I don't ever recall having a workman in to fix anything in our houses as I was growing up, and there was plenty of work to be done. I used to joke that they only had us kids to procure slave labor at a cheap price because we learned how to remove wallpaper, paint, strip old varnish and restain wood. We always left a place looking much better than the way mom and dad bought it. Looking back, dad was teaching us life skills, he had to have a lot of patience to direct three little girls, and I'm sure he had to redo most of our efforts. 


In the past few years I heard dad remark that he wished he had spent more time with us when we were little, but I don't ever feel that way. He and mom took us on camping trips, sometimes on the weekends, but always up to Canada, sometimes for a month at a time in the summer. He taught us how to pack a cooler, a car, a camper; how to make a fire, catch a fish, cook a meal in one pan. I remember nights around the campfire, and when we complained about the smoke he told us that smoke follows beauty. We played cribbage by lamplight in the camper and learned how to add, count and strategize. I'm pretty sure he let us win on occasion. When we were at home, dad was there cooking meals, working on cars, the house, or sometimes just watching football on TV. I remember being under the hood of a car with him, watching him work on something, or watching the Minnesota Vikings (Indy didn't have the Colts back then), not because I liked those things particularly, but because I liked being near him. 

I’m sure we were all picky eaters, but mom and dad fed us well and introduced us to a wide variety of foods. We ate artichokes, pomegranates, red snapper throat, pasties and all manner of things before they were in vogue. Dad found many ways to get his picky eaters to try foods we either didn't like or were not familiar with: he made us orange wedge “smiles” to get us to eat oranges; “map eggs” and eggs in fried bread holes to eat eggs; and fish and chips in newspaper cones. We dug clams up in Canada once, but there was no way we were going to eat those; dad just remarked that would be more for him and mom. I don't ever recall fighting over food, except for the time when we threw our spaghetti up onto the dining room ceiling!


Dad and mom weren’t always very good with money, but they provided well for us. We went to private elementary school, had good clothes, a roof over our heads and new patent leather shoes for Easter. They gave us money for gas and supported me through higher education (dad often slipped me an extra $20 as I was leaving to go back to IU after a weekend at home doing my laundry). Whenever we needed to come back home, we were welcome. Dad and mom even took in our stray friends, boyfriends and husbands, fed them, wined them and dined them, and always at the table, with tablecloth, cloth napkins, crystal and china; they weren't particularly fancy people though, just welcoming. 

Christmas would always find my dad in the kitchen rolling meatballs, making his famous pickled herring and firing up a pot of glogg. Dad did enjoy his wine, after dinner drinks (frangelico, armagnac or drambuie) and a “drop” of scotch. He enjoyed the good life, and had one; I never heard him complain much about anything except politics and when people broke into our house and stole things. I must say, he was a pretty tolerant man; I guess he had to be - he raised three daughters who were pretty challenging. 

Dad was always generous with his time and efforts on behalf of others. When he and mom had PC Doctors he would often upgrade computer components or work on systems without charging customers (which irritated mom to no end). Dad was also appreciative of others’ time and generosity; he said thank you for the things we did for him and the time we spent with him. Thankfully, before he passed, I had the pleasure of spending two weeks with him, sharing meals, watching Vanna on Wheel of Fortune (see if you can figure out the obituary published in the newspaper) and just hanging out in the sunroom, his favorite place. I will miss our Sunday calls, the way he always called me “darlin’” and I will miss my dad. 

I love you dad, your middle daughter, Karin


Growing up with Don in my life was life changing. It has been years since I have reflected on those times and doing so is such a sweet sorrow, it amazes me how much so. My mom worked for them when I was young and Don's kindness, allowing me to be practically one of the family and introducing me to computers at such a young age has shaped my career. With Don's guidance, computers became magical machines to me and a strong desire came to learn even more, leading me to a degree in Computer Engineering Technology and stable career. Alongside this wonder and direction, Don's kindness was reflected for me in people of the field and people in general, to share in inspiration and warmth. Don even allowed mom and I to borrow Sigrid to go to the pool every so often so mom and Sigrid could get some water aerobics in while I jumped around in the pool, an absolute joy and highlight of my childhood. Thank you, Don, for everything you've done for me and my family and know those little acts, made all the difference in the world.  All my love to the family, Robyn

Dear DD:

	This comes a bit late as you have already departed for heaven but I am sending this to your beloved family. You cannot read this message or hear the conversations, but rest assured they will continue. The talk is of the love you gave not only to your family but those around you. You made the world a better place. You hired Karen Jones to be your office manager at PC Doctors. It changed both her and my life for the better. We had little knowledge of computers at the time and you helped us build our own computers by granting us access to the tools and equipment. Because of this blessing, we were able get a foothold in a burgeoning industry. We learned about the components of an 8088 microprocessor, what a mother board was and how to assemble a desk top computer. We got to feel the gyroscope effect of holding a running hard drive in our hands. We got to experience Softeach in Chicago and all the vendors that were introducing the latest in technologies. In short, we were able to eliminate the fears we had concerning this new computer industry and pass that along to our children. In reflection, it allowed our whole family to learn and grow. 
	I remember Karen going to Yen Ching to pick up Chinese food for PC Doctors staff lunches. The owner of the restaurant knew DD and Sigrid on a first name basis. Soon, he knew Karen and I and we became regulars. You graciously allowed me to sit in on some of those lunches. Thank you DD for making my family feel like part of your family for that brief interlude in our lives. You invited us to swim in the pool at your condominium on several occasions and I even held a birthday celebration for our daughter at the pool.  For several Christmases we were invited over to celebrate with Swedish Glogg and food. You truly made us feel welcome and for that I will be eternally grateful. Karen passed away from liver disease in September of 2021.  I would like to imagine that she and DD are having a celebration of spirit in heaven. 

Dad as a child in a military uniform given to him by his older brother.

Lots of great memories from PC Doctors.  
Rest well, Don.

Oh what a sad thing to hear of Don’s passing.   I always enjoyed filling in for Karen (who sadly, passed in September) at the office on Post Road.   Such a wonderful family to work with!
Rest in eternal peace, Don 

I remember the first time I met Don-he shared his dark chocolates with me and something special on ice.  My thoughts and prayers are with this loving family.  I always heard the kindness words about Don from his granddaughters Haley & Courtney. 
Love, Sherry

And had three daughters who gave him his gray hair!

We will miss his smiling face and his sweet demeanor. Neighbors will miss seeing him greet everyone from the front porch. He watched out for us all.


OBITUARIO

Donald "DD" Charles Vaubel

13 noviembre, 1932 – 15 marzo, 2022

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