Donald Antonio Duchesneau, Sr.

Donald Antonio Duchesneau, 90, of Merritt Island, Florida passed away surrounded by family on February 15, 2026. He was born on April 10, 1935, in Providence, Rhode Island, and was raised in Connecticut before his family later settled in Miami, Florida.

He was the beloved son of Antonio and Elizabeth Taylor Duchesneau, both of whom preceded him in death.

As a young man, Don attended Miami Edison High School and earned a scholarship to Stetson University. While at Stetson, he received a Bachelor Degree in Business Management with a Major in Marketing. He also earned his MBA from Michigan State on a scholarship. Don later went on to earn his doctorate, reflecting a lifelong love of learning and teaching.

At just sixteen years old, Don began working at a movie theater — the place where he would meet the love of his life, Dorothy Anne “Dottie.” Their story began when she attended a movie with her siblings and a playful encounter led to a young Don telling her sister to “cut it out.” That moment marked the beginning of a love story that would span more than seventy years. Don and Dottie were married on August 20, 1955, at St. Mary’s Church in Miami.

Don’s career was defined by steady dedication, leadership, and vision. He began at Winn-Dixie as a bag boy and grew to become store manager of the 183rd Street Winn-Dixie in Miami, Florida. His talent for grocery buying led to an opportunity with General Foods, taking his young family to Youngstown, Ohio, and later to upstate New York. Eventually, Farm Stores recruited him back to Miami where he continued to build his career.

In 1983, Don and Dottie took a leap of faith. With Florida orange juice packed into the back of their 280Z, they drove to Texas and founded Natural Brands Incorporated. What began as a distribution venture became a company that would thrive for over forty years — a testament to Don’s entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and determination.

Though he worked long hours and was deeply diligent, Don was far more than his professional accomplishments. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather — a proud and faithful provider who loved his family fiercely.

He had a quiet strength and a warm personality. At the Little River youth center, he was well known for his table-tennis skills and his love of dancing. Dancing remained a lifelong joy, and many family members cherish memories of dancing with him at any and every opportunity; he and Dottie always cleared the dance floor as people wanted to watch them dance. Even at the age of 76 when they went on the Alaskan Cruise; all 300 passengers knew Don because they asked him to dance on stage with their professional show dancers.

He loved chess and musicals. He believed deeply in exposing his family to the world. He took his children to Mexico and Europe, and later carried that tradition forward with his grandchildren, with trips to Japan, China, Canada, and Europe.

Don remained devoted to his faith throughout his life. His accomplishments are too vast to mention in more detail; but in the end; he will be forever missed by his loving family and business partners which he considered his NBI employees to be. They were business partners, friends and most importantly to Donald; they were his extended family.

He is survived by his beloved wife of over 70 years, Dorothy Anne; and his three children: Donald Alan (1958), Darrell Arthur (1961), and Dorothy Anne (1963).

He is also survived by his 14 grandchildren, in birth order: Susie, Heather, Michele, Ashley, Darrell, Laura, Brittany, Mathew, Darren (who preceded him in death), James, Summer, Elizabeth, Antonio, and Sarah.

He is further survived by 11 great-grandchildren: Jesse, Jack, Mara, Bailee, Judah, Max, Reagan, Reese, Emma, Josiah and Prim Rosalie.

Don will be remembered as a man of integrity, faith, discipline, and deep devotion to family. He built a legacy not only through business, but through love, leadership, and the generations that follow him. His steady presence, quiet strength, and joyful spirit will live on in every child and grandchild who learned to dance, travel, work hard, and love well because of him.