Donald Roy O'Guin Sr.

Don was born on January 26, 1932, to Leland and Lorene (Meador) O’Guin. He grew up in east Nashville with his mom and beloved step-father, Gilbert Tarpley, and attended Hume-Fogg High School and attended David Lipscomb College. He played football, basketball, and baseball and was Student Body President his senior year. He married his high school sweetheart, Catherine Regenia White, on September 5, 1950. At the time of Regenia’s death in 2014, they had been married for 63 years.

He was deeply involved in Nashville politics throughout his career. In 1962 as Nashville launched the new Metropolitan Nashville form of government he ran for City Council and won representing the Donelson area. He served in the first administration under Mayor Beverly Briley and secured many capital improvements for the growing Donelson area, including the branch library and land for Two Rivers Park. He wrote the bill that led to City Council meetings being broadcast on radio and TV. In subsequent years he also ran for Mayor and the Congressional seat held by Richard Fulton. WSIX television offered him a political talk show interviewing Nashville’s key figures in government and business. “At Issue” was the first program of its kind in Nashville and all of the city’s movers and shakers wanted to be a guest.

Throughout his life, Don was an entrepreneurial business leader. He began his career in insurance as a State Farm agent. Later he built his own large insurance agency American Insurance Service, developed a mortgage company, and chartered the Mutual Insurance Company of Tennessee. He was friends with and admired by many insurance agents across the state.

He loved spending time with his family and grandkids. He was a diehard fan of college sports and travelled with Regenia to dozens of Lady Vol games in Knoxville plus many times to their NCAA Final Fours. You could tell Regenia had sold him on UT basketball when you saw him fully dressed head to toe in bright orange clothes. He and Regenia were active members of Two Rivers Baptist in Donelson. In his early life he also served in the Tennessee Air National Guard.

He is survived by his children, Don O’Guin, Jr. (Susan), Sherry Frase (Bob), Lisa O’Guin, and Julie O’Guin (LaDonna Meuchel); grandchildren Jennifer Jackson and Chris O’Guin, Rachel Ramsey and Kimberly Richardson, Don O’Guin III; great grandchildren Christopher, Hunter and Jimmy O’Guin, Kayla Williams, Connor Jackson, and Ashlyn White, and Haidyn Richardson.

He was also preceded in death by his son Jim O’Guin, his brother Wayne Tarpley, and his sister Joy Capps.

Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 24 at Hermitage Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 535 Shute Lane in Old Hickory from 5 to 8 pm. On Saturday, Nov. 25th visitation is at 12 noon with Funeral Service to follow at 1pm.

The O’Guin Family thanks the staff of Adams Place for their care and kindness provided to their father, and prior to that the home health professionals that cared for him in his home.

Memorial contributions in his honor can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research