Donald Warren Kucera

He graduated from North Park High School in Chicago, IL and Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Donald retired from Lehigh Portland Cement Co. at the age of 65, where he worked for 30 years as a salesman. Following his retirement, he worked as an independent contractor in the cement industry until 2005. He did not serve in the military, but took flying lessons at the age of 15 because he wanted to join the military when he was old enough and fight in World War II.

Donald loved to hike. He hiked all over the world….Mt. Kilimanjaro, Milford Trek in New Zealand, bottom of the Grand Canyon, the Greek Isles, and the Czech Republic, where his ancestors came from.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Rachel Alice Peach Kucera and son, Anthony Donald Kucera.

Donald is survived by daughter, Faye Kucera Rodgers and husband, David of DeWitt, AR; daughter, Casey (Kusandra) Kucera Sloan and husband, Mike of Statesville, NC; son, Mike Kucera of Raleigh, NC; son, David Bayuk (Rose Kuntz) of Phoenix, AZ; daughter, Karen Scharf and husband, Charles of Chicago, IL; grandchildren: John David Rodgers of DeWitt, AR; Luke Sloan, Will Sloan, and Caroline Sloan Marlowe (Dakota), all of Statesville, NC; Ella Kucera of Raleigh, NC; Courtnie Scharf Nides (David) and Charlie Scharf, Jr., of Chicago, IL; and brother, Richard Kucera (Diane) of Lake Bluff, IL.

You may not be with us anymore, but our love for you will never die. We miss you dad!

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."

For those wishing to send memorial gifts, please consider Hospice & Palliative Care-Charlotte Region, PO Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247 (designate Palmetto Region), or www.hpccr.org/give/ (designate Palmetto Region).