Donald Verlin Black

Donald V. Black departed this life on August 28, 2025. Leaving to celebrate his life and cherish his memory are his wife JoAnn (Phifer) Black, children Donald E. Black, Charles V. Black, grandchildren Jeffrey, Sabrina, and Joseph Black, Ashley and Jessey Crowder and Zachary Black. He is also survived by great-grandchildren: Marcus, Ja’Michael, Lanayzah, Aubrey, Zoe, Zack, Anneliese, Bentley, and Brayden. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Aubrielle and Amiri.

Don is blessed to be remembered by his sister, Clayton Honeycutt, Nephew Jimmy Black and Niece Beverly Butlin and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews. Don was predeceased by his parents James Waldon Black and Bessie Jack (Keziah) Black, his baby girl: Cathey Jo (Black) Crowder and brothers: James Edward Black, Tommy Black, Jack David Black, and Charles Waldon Black and his sister Sarah (Black) Lambert. Also departing this life before Don were his nephews: Charles Edward Black, Adam Waldon Honeycutt, James David Lambert, Glenn Richard Black, and his niece Deborah Black.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at 10 am with a service to follow at 11 am at Forest Lawn West. The family requests you come as you are without pretense. Don was not a fancy man and loved everyone as they were. In lieu of flowers, the family is happy to accept donations to assist with JoAnn’s future care.

Donald Verlin Black was born on December 19, 1939 to parents James Waldon Black and Bessie Jack (Keziah) Black. Donald married the love of his life JoAnn (Phifer) Black in 1959. Don and JoAnn created a beautiful life together and were blessed with an unprecedented 65 years of marriage. Don was blessed with three children who were his pride and joy, Donald E. Black, Charles V. Black and Cathey Jo (Black) Crowder. Don loved his children almost as much as he loved his Jo. Don was one of six children born to his parents. He was predeceased by his brothers, James Edward Black, Tommy Black, Jack David Black, and Charles Waldon Black and his sister Sarah (Black) Lambert. In addition to his parents, Don’s baby girl Cathey Jo predeceased him in passing from this life.

Don was a true gem of a man. He never met a stranger and could talk the paint off a wall. He loved his family and they were the most important people in his life, with his wife of 65 years JoAnn being his number one. He loved Jo with every ounce of his heart. The two never spent more than a few days apart until medical reasons separated them in late 2023. Don was the father to Donnie, Charlie and Cathey Jo. His children were his greatest achievements. He loved them fiercely and did anything and everything for them. He even gave up his motorcycle following the birth of his son Donnie for his children and never looked back. He was broken hearted when his baby girl Cathey Jo departed this life in 2023. There was never a title he loved more than “PawPaw.” Don and JoAnn were blessed with six grandchildren, Jeffrey, Sabrina, Joseph, Ashley, Jessey and Zachary. These six knew that PawPaw was only a phone call away and that he would show up whenever and wherever for whatever they needed. Don was blessed to know his great grandchildren, Marcus, Ja’Michael, Lanayzah, Aubrey, Zoe, Zack, Anneliese, Bentley, and Brayden and great-great grandchildren, Aubrielle and Amiri.

If you were lucky enough to know Don, you knew he was a character and a serious jokester who would make you laugh while teaching you a life lesson. Many likely remember his “Dime and Pen” and “stool samples” or even his tale about liking to eat grass after his valve replacement. Don was a surrogate dad and granddad for many over the years, whether it be the boys he coached or the children he met at church in his later years. He was everything you could ever ask for in a father and grandfather, even great-grandfather.

Don never knew how to turn off his work ethic. He held every job throughout his 85 years on this earth, including working at the radiator shop and delivering telegrams for Western Union (which is how he met the love of his life Jo). He was employed at Charlotte Steel Drum for over thirty years where he retired in 1999. Despite retirement, Don continued to work as a truck driver, a greeter at Wal-Mart and a bus driver at the Charlotte Airport. His most important labor of love in his later years was caretaker for JoAnn as her dementia grew worse. Their roles were reversed in those last years they both resided in the home where he took over the cooking, cleaning and shopping. Don was even splitting wood out in the yard in March of this year. Once Don was placed in memory care, this work ethic refused to fade. He would tell us about the odd jobs he was doing around the facility and often assisted with pushing fellow residents around or walking with them around the halls. He never knew how to stop working and the family credits this work ethic and drive to provide for the blessed 85 years they were lucky to have with him.

If you are lucky enough to have know Don Black, you can consider yourself blessed. Don was a wonderful man, a loving husband, a caring father, a giving grandfather (great grandfather and great-great-grandfather), and a faithful and loyal friend. The hole left by Don’s absence is unfillable, but we know that he would want us to put family first, honor his strong work ethic, and make him proud by carrying on his legacy.