Donald David Stith

Donald David Stith, 87, of Phoenix, AZ, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025. He was born on January 11, 1938, in Covington, Kentucky, to Robert and Jessie Stith. He spent his younger years in Kentucky, and later settled in Arizona with his family.

Don married Marie Sims and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1958. He went on to become an officer, serving as an F-4 navigator during the Vietnam War, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in combat. While on active duty, he earned a Master's degree in Counseling and Guidance and retired in 1982 after serving in a number of leadership roles at U.S. Air Force bases in the western United States.

After his distinguished military career, Don continued his commitment to public service, working for the State of Arizona as a juvenile probation officer, from which he eventually retired in the early 1990s.

Don had a deep passion for history and architecture. He worked as a docent for the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix during its renovation in the 1990s, and that is when he began to thoroughly enjoy traveling the country to tour and learn about other historic theaters. His affinity for architecture and history also led him to work as a tour guide at Taliesin West, where he developed and shared an encyclopedic knowledge of Frank Lloyd Wright's work. He also served as a tour guide and docent at the Rosson House in Phoenix and the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, AZ. Don attended and loved singing in the choir at the First Southern Baptist Church of Scottsdale.

Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marie, in April 2001, his parents, Robert and Jessie Stith, and his siblings Robert Stith Jr., Dinah Pickett, Nancy Stith, and Ann Gabriel. He is survived by his twin brother, Ron; his three daughters, Kim Carter (Ed), Sharon Cowan (Sam), and Linda Johnson (Dean); five grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

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Services

Don’s life will be celebrated with a memorial service this fall that will be held at Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery, 401 Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 on October 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

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Memorial Contributions

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Don's name to the First Southern Baptist Church Scottsdale, 5230 N Scottsdale Rd, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253.