Donald Wayne Waldren

Born on April 16, 1940, in Newark, Ohio, Don was the son of Wilby and Audrey Waldren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert Waldren; and sister, Dorothy (Waldren) Whitehead.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years and love of his life, Nancy; his beloved children, Angela (Jerry) Saul, Daniel (Betty) Waldren, and Nicole Waldren-VanBalen.

Don was a cherished "Papa" to his grandchildren: Mackenzie (Jarrod) Ellenberger, Kaia (Alex) Robey, Jayden VanBalen, Brayden Waldren, Isabella Waldren, Trey VanBalen, and Lucy Waldren; and was joyfully anticipating the arrival of his first great-grandchild, Ella Ellenberger. He was also dearly loved by his large extended family of sisters- and brothers-in-law, as well as by his many nieces and nephews.

A proud veteran, Don served in the U.S. Army for six years, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. He later retired from The Kobacker Company, where he worked for many years as Facilities Manager.

Known for his incredible ability to fix just about anything — a talent perfectly captured by one of his favorite t-shirts that read, "If Papa can't fix it, no one can!" - Don brought that same devotion and care to everything he did.

Cheering on his grandson Brayden at football games and grandson Jayden at wrestling matches brought Don great joy. He loved attending his grandchildren's choir concerts and school events and enthusiastically participated in grandson Trey's DSACO Buddy Walk events each year. In his spare time, he had a passion for repairing and maintaining vehicles and equipment, taking family and friends for rides on his pontoon, fishing, gardening, and tackling home improvement projects. Above all, his greatest joy was simply being with his family.

A Funeral Mass for Don, celebrated by Reverend Father P. J. Brandimarti, will be held on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 5133 Walnut Rd., Buckeye Lake, OH 43008.

Following the Mass, please join the family in the church social hall for a luncheon honoring Don’s life.

Don will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Pataskala, Ohio, with a private family service to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Food Pantry, 5133 Walnut Rd., Buckeye Lake, OH 43008 in Don’s memory.