I just learned of Don's passing. I am saddened and, at the same time, smiling. I have good memories of the very short time I worked with Don. He and I joked as recently as last year about one of our first engagements and how we both use that story regularly to share the importance of communication and the words we use with each other. What a good guy Don was in this life. I look forward to seeing him on the other side. Don - be well and be at peace.

Barb. Viney

Went to Springfield High with Don. He also lived on my same street, Franklin ave. In Springfield. He was a real nice guy. Don Henderson

Part 2 of 2
Don always served others throughout his lifetime, including his senior years when he had more time to volunteer. He faithfully served as a presenter in the Salute to Service program for military service members in hospice care.  For a time, he proudly rode his Harley Davidson motorcycle as an escort for deceased military personnel on their ride to their final resting place, with the group known as The Patriot Riders. He would regularly visit the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care where he spent time talking and encouraging our heroes in their final days.
Don did more with the dash between January 9, 1943 – February 17, 2025 than most of us do with ours because he was such a giver. His, was a life well lived and he will be missed greatly by all that knew him. I have lost a wonderful friend (family member really) but only for a little while. Don will greet me in Heaven one day and I pray many reading this will get that same greeting because Don will surely be there smiling and telling his stories. Rest well good and faithful servant!

Part 1 of 2
As I thought about my relationship with Don, I realized that we were family. This family is not by blood but by relationship. Over the past forty plus years, Don and I developed a very strong bond. We spent time together including birthdays, births, Christmases, holidays, my son’s soccer games (all over the United States), weddings, yard sales and declutter operations. The most telling example of our family relationship is that to this day, my children refer to him as Uncle Don or Uncle D. I think we qualify as family.
We had a family gathering the week before Don’s transition to be with Jesus. I asked each person around the table to tell a “Don Story” and two hours later we were still laughing, crying and going strong.
Don was many things in his life: a soldier, a University of Tennessee and Baltimore Orioles superfan, a senior manager in the Agriculture Department, a small business owner, a skilled mediator, a motorcycle enthusiast, a college professor, well, you get the idea.  
Don’s real accomplishments were in relationships. He was a son, father, grandfather, coworker, mentor, faithful friend to many, devoted church member, committee member and Elder at Christ Memorial Presbyterian  Church and a friend to everyone he met.  He always greeted people with a smile, a ready story to share and a willingness to help.

We will miss you cos. I enjoyed our birthday conversations. Rest in peace.

My heart is deeply saddened by the passing of my mentor and friend, Don. He was truly a treasure and a blessing in both my career and my life. Don was kind, supportive, generous, and always willing to help and encourage others.

I began working for Don in 1995 at the Department of Agriculture, and I remember feeling incredibly nervous at first. However, Don quickly eased my anxiety with his approachable nature. He took the time to listen and help me adjust, guiding me as I learned the ropes.

As a leader, Don was incredibly supportive, providing clear guidance and instructions. He set high standards and expectations for his staff, always leading by example and holding himself accountable. I often referred to him as the "Great Communicator," because he had an extraordinary ability to take even the most complex subjects and explain them in ways that were easy to understand. His stories and sense of humor were also unmatched.

Even after I left his team, Don continued to mentor me, offering invaluable career advice and helping me navigate my professional journey. After his retirement, we stayed in touch, scheduling regular lunches to catch up and share updates.

Don wasn’t just a mentor; he was a dear friend. I am so thankful that our paths crossed, and I feel truly blessed to have had him in my life. 

Rest in peace, Don. You will be missed, but your legacy will live on in all of us who were fortunate enough to know you.

We are extremely sad to learn that our dear friend has passed on to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Don has been a friend for many years and I first met him at the University of  Baltimore many years ago while I was with the Maryland State police and attending school at  night. 

Don was an incredibly giving person despite all his medical battles and we loved him dearly. Our condolences to the family and friends who remain behind to grieve the  loss of such a great man.

Cherie & Danny Shell
Emerald Isle, NC

I am so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. I met him about 20 years ago when I worked for him as a contractor at USDA. We became close friends during that time and kept in touch after he retired and I relocated to other states. He came to my family birthday party last summer and last I heard from him he was cancer free so his passing is a shock to me. He has gone through so much in his battles with cancer and was so strong throughout.  I send my deepest condolences to Corey and his grandsons whom he loved and bragged about so much. RIP dear Don - you were such a great guy and human being - I am so lucky to have been your friend!

As a counterpoint to Rev. VanderWoude’s brief acquaintance with Don, I had the privilege of calling Don my friend for 54 years.  We were coworkers, golf partners, sailing skipper & crew, motorcycle riders, Orioles fans, parents feeling our way and mutual sounding boards for life’s vagaries.  
Throughout it all, I never had to wonder if Don had my back.  Moreover, although Don had way more than his share of challenges over the years, his indomitable spirit,  his irrepressible humanity and his genuine concern for the wellbeing of people and animals was always paramount.  As the Good Reverend has noted, Don never stopped giving back- even at the end.  His was a life well lived and one that mattered in so many ways.  Sail on, Don sail on.

As the interim pastor who hasn't been around long, I did not come to know Don well. But in the last weeks of his life, as he was making a decision to enter hospice, he cared enough and was brave enough to attend to the details surrounding his death:  It was a gift to those who loved him.  He would often say, when I visited him "I am in the process of dying here!"  "That's true," I said, "and still you keep smiling."  We talked about how he loves Jesus, and that Jesus loves him, along with so many of us.  He was at peace about the life he lived, the friends he'd made, the daughter he raised and the grandsons in whom he saw such promise and found such delight.  He loved his church, and I met people who aspired to live like Don.  Christ's Peace to him, and to each of us.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

CPT. Donald A. Kyle

9 janvier 1943 – 17 février 2025

Witzke Funeral Homes Inc.

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