Donald Ray Counts

He attended Tekoppel and Perry Heights grade schools. Don graduated from Francis Joseph Reitz High School class of 1960, attended East Carolina College and graduated from Ivy Tech Community College with honors.

Don leaves behind his beautiful wife, Betty; children, Dori, Don II, Tony, Melody, Amy, Misty and Nikki; 14 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Don was a Marine Corps Veteran with 24 years cumulative service as an Air Operations Chief, retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant. Service included the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and Chu Lai Vietnam in 1967-1968. While serving he had been in most states and many foreign countries. He was honorably discharged in 1997.

Don worked and retired from Deaconess Hospital after 12 years of service. Many friends and associates asked what he was going to do after retirement. He gave them a long list, some he accomplished, some were forgotten, and others were added. Below are some of the activities he was involved in.

He enjoyed pencil and oil painting. He was a Marine Corps League member, League Chaplain, Past Vice Commander of Southern Indiana and worked on the 2008 - 2011 Toys for Tots Campaigns. He is a Veteran of Foreign Wars Post #1114 life member and Past 8th District Historian. Don was a Shawnee and Cherokee Marine Veteran Dancer at area Pow Wows and Head Male Dancer at the Bluff City Pow-Wow in Rockport, Indiana from 2010-1015. He was a Patriot Guard Member, honoring our fallen heroes. He was a Marine Representative on the Veterans Council of Vanderburgh County.

He belonged to Sons of the American Revolution Indiana Chapter from 2008 - 2012 and the Ohio Valley Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution where he was President in 2007 and 2008, Past Chaplain and Vice-President. He served on the Tri-State Genealogist Society- four terms as President, board member and member of the Long Range Planning Committee.

He was a member of Woodmen of the World Lodge # 6023, President multiple terms, two terms as Indiana/Michigan past Jurisdictional President, Past Indiana/Michigan Fraternalist of the Year in 2003, Lifetime Delegate and Past National Fraternal Committee Member.

He was appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels to the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities. He graduated from the Partners in Policy Making Academy through the Governor’s Planning Council for People with Disabilities, on April 26, 2010.

Don is a past Partners Graduation Guest Speaker, past Speaker for the Count Us In program to get out the vote for people with disabilities. In 2009, he served as coordinator for the Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities at the Governor’s Council annual convention.

Don was a past member of the Vanderburgh County HAVA (Help America Vote Act) Committee. He was a past election poll accessibility inspector, election day judge and inspector, and election worker in local, state, and national politics.

Don was a board member of DSTF (Disabled Students Task Force).

He was a member of Facebook (AAPD) American Association for People with Disabilities.

He served as Vice Chairmen of the Evansville Vanderburgh County Board for Disability Services from 2008-2012. Don was President Ohio Valley Center for Independent Living. He was also a member of the Vanderburgh County Disaster Preparedness Committee for People with Disabilities. He was a delegate to the 2008 and 2010 Republican State Convention. Don was a writer regarding various disability issues that were published in newspapers and other media. He was a monitor of various charity races.

He has held various offices in the Daylight Masonic Lodge # 752.

He was a member of the American Indian Center of Indiana.

Don was a staff writer and past editor for the City-County Observer.

As you can tell from his various memberships, he had many interests.

Memorial contributions may be made to Southern Indiana Toys for Tots, https://evansville-in.toysfortots.org

Don's funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at Alexander West Chapel, 2100 W. Illinois Street in Evansville, officiated by Pastor Ray Brown. Burial with military honors will follow in Alexander Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the funeral home, and continued on Thursday from 12:00 pm until service time.

Condolences may be made at www.AlexanderWestChapel.com