Donald L. "Donnie" Donaway Sr.Age 68, of Frankford, died Saturday, January 28, 2012 at his residence.
Born in Wicomico County, he had been a truck driver for many years and most recently he was a trolley driver for the Town of Bethany Beach. He was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Bethany Beach and a Friend of Bill's.
He is survived by his mother Leola (Donaway) Richards of Wilmington; a brother, Bruce Richards and his wife Cindy of Hockessin; a sister, Christeen Richards of Wilmington, DE; his daughter, Sharon Harris and her husband Steve; his boys, Michael Doherty and his wife Jinny and Daniel Doherty and 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son, Donald Lee Donaway Jr. in 1990, a grandson, Justin Lee Donaway in 2005 and his soul mate, Ruth Alice Rowles in 2010.
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Published in The News Journal on February 5, 2012
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Donnie. I am very glad that I had the chance to know him a little bit when I visited Ruth several times in the last few years. Mother had always remarked on what a remarkable and improbable combination Ruth and Donnie were, and it was indeed wonderful to be around them.
I am very glad to see Ruth's family included as his own in this write-up.
The worst aspect of Ruth's funeral was that the priest in Virginia simply refused to acknowledge Donnie at all. That made me very angry. The priest at their home church was fine, but this guy ...
The obituary says that Donnie was a truck driver. Well, he was driving a truck, carrying feed for some southern Delaware chicken operation when we met him. However, if you got him talking, you found out that earlier in his life he worked on fishing boats - ocean or bay, I am not sure, but I think Ocean or both. He also could tell stories of storms and damage to the whole Ocean City, Maryland area, and the associated changes in the shoreline over the years.
On my last visit there before Ruth got so very ill, Donnie drove us around back roads through the little towns just inland from the tourists. We visited Assateague State Park when it was practically deserted (October). The non-commericalized uninhabited beaches made a huge impression on me. Then, of course, Ruth and Donnie knew some great little small town place to eat lunch...
The last time I visited, Donnie was amusing us by making a big story about how the town bigwigs wanted a special sign on the tourist trolley for the Labor Day parade, so they had one printed up on a magnetic sheet. Fine. Except that the body of the trolley is fiberglass.
We decided that duct tape would be an appropriately classy solution.
Donnie was a fun and gracious man, who rescued and beautifully supported and loved my cousin. Glad I knew him.
Here is a picture of the the two of them that will have to do until I find one that is better of Ruth.
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Donnie. I am very glad that I had the chance to know him a little bit when I visited Ruth several times in the last few years. Mother had always remarked on what a remarkable and improbable combination Ruth and Donnie were, and it was indeed wonderful to be around them.
I am very glad to see Ruth's family included as his own in this write-up.
The worst aspect of Ruth's funeral was that the priest in Virginia simply refused to acknowledge Donnie at all. That made me very angry. The priest at their home church was fine, but this guy ...
The obituary says that Donnie was a truck driver. Well, he was driving a truck, carrying feed for some southern Delaware chicken operation when we met him. However, if you got him talking, you found out that earlier in his life he worked on fishing boats - ocean or bay, I am not sure, but I think Ocean or both. He also could tell stories of storms and damage to the whole Ocean City, Maryland area, and the associated changes in the shoreline over the years.
On my last visit there before Ruth got so very ill, Donnie drove us around back roads through the little towns just inland from the tourists. We visited Assateague State Park when it was practically deserted (October). The non-commericalized uninhabited beaches made a huge impression on me. Then, of course, Ruth and Donnie knew some great little small town place to eat lunch...
The last time I visited, Donnie was amusing us by making a big story about how the town bigwigs wanted a special sign on the tourist trolley for the Labor Day parade, so they had one printed up on a magnetic sheet. Fine. Except that the body of the trolley is fiberglass.
We decided that duct tape would be an appropriately classy solution.
Donnie was a fun and gracious man, who rescued and beautifully supported and loved my cousin. Glad I knew him.
Here is a picture of the the two of them that will have to do until I find one that is better of Ruth.
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