Donald Everette Wilder Jr.

Heaven on December 18, 2025.

Mr. Wilder was born November 28, 1943, in Portsmouth, Virginia, a son of the late Donald

Everett Wilder and Onie Marie Baynard Wilder.

Surviving in addition to his wife of 63 years are one daughter Shayna Lynae Wilder

Blackwell and husband Stephen, of Woodruff, SC; two grandchildren, Dr. Sagen Lynae

Blackwell of Roanoke, Virginia and Karder Larson Blackwell of Woodruff, South Carolina;

one sister, Anita Marie Wilder Shupe of Scottsdale, Arizona and a brother-in-law, Richard

Lee Cannaday of Wertz, Virginia, and half-sister Sharon Ann Thomas-Stahle Hatch of Salt

Lake City, Utah.

Mr. Wilder was predeceased by his stepfather Edward Bass Griswold of Martinsville,

Virginia; his half-brother, James Allen Wilder of Atlantic City, New Jersey; and his brotherin-law, Douglas Wayne Toler of Bedford, Virginia.

Don served as a publisher of The Union (SC) Daily Times (1970-1994), The Williamson

(WV) Daily News (1994-1996) and CEO of Hometown News in Spartanburg, SC in 1996

until his retirement in 2012. He was a coach to many baseball teams and loved all the

boys he called his own. After coaching he became an umpire, calling games for college

and minor league teams. Don was charter President of the Kiwanis Club of Union, SC. He

served as a South Carolina Highway Commissioner from 1990-94 for the 16th Judicial

District. In 1994, he was awarded the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto by Governor

David M. Beasley. He was active in the General Daniel Morgan Chapter, Sons of the

American Revolution and the Valley Forge Society. He was a member of Burnsview

Baptist Church in Greer, SC.

A graveside service will be held at Roselawn Cemetery, Martinsville, Virginia on Saturday,

January 10, 2026, at 2PM in the afternoon.

The family will receive friends, January 10, 2026, following the service at the graveside.

The family will be at 101 Fern Leaf Court, Woodruff, South Carolina 29388.

Online Condolences may be made at www.thewoodmortuary.com