Donald Kenneth Proctor was born Oct. 13, 1926, in Montgomery County, Indiana, as the third son of five to Mary McCloud Proctor and Curtis Proctor. His brothers were Ralph, Harold, Paul and Leslie (all deceased). Don attended Waynetown High School grades 1-12 and graduated in 1944.
Don was a freshman when Japan struck Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, during World War II. After he graduated he was drafted in early 1945. He went to camp Joseph T. Robinson near Little Rock, Arkansas; then to Ft. Riley, Kansas; then to Ft. Dix, Maryland. He was stationed in Munich, Germany where he was in the Signal Corp, and they stored communications equipment. The war was already over in Germany when he was deployed (VE Day was June 1945), but there was still fighting in the South Pacific. He returned home in late 1946.
Don started working at RR Donnelley and Sons when he was a junior at Waynetown High School. When he returned from Germany, he went back to work at RR Donnelley where he was a pressman and when he retired over 40 years later, he was a Quality Analyst.
In 1949 he married Marilyn J. Neese (deceased). They were married 20 years and had six children: Diana Snelling Still (Mike Still, deceased), Steve Proctor (Sandy), Janet Fay (Pat), Carol Pattison (Jim), Stanley Proctor (Janice) and Suzanne Howell Turcich (deceased) (Mike Howell, deceased) (Chris Turcich). Marilyn died in 1970 from cancer.
Don and Marilyn moved into the house that Don lived in the rest of his life in 1955. It was unfinished at that time and he spent his “free” time finishing three bedrooms, two walk-in closets; and a bathroom upstairs and remodeled the 1920s kitchen and the 1920s bathroom downstairs. He was assisted with this at times by his father and his brother, Leslie.
He and Marilyn enjoyed playing bridge and being in Eastern Star together.
Don has 12 grandchildren: Mike Snelling (Miranda), Kyle Proctor (Bri), Kraig Proctor, Sally Jude (Rob), Patsy Burton (Marc), Jim Pattison II (Tammi), Jennifer Cavalcanti (Erick), Daniel Proctor, Chris Proctor, Jake Proctor (Adriana Shyanne), Nick Howell (Desi) and Joshua Howell. He has 16 great-grandchildren: Bailey Snelling, Drew Snelling, Camden Proctor, Cale Anderson, Jack Melvin, Cole Burton, Payten Burton, Laurynn Pattison, Ashlynn Pattison, Tre Pattison, Hannah Cavalcanti, Xander Cavalcanti, Hendrix Cavalcanti, Ella Proctor, Mazie Proctor and Henry Howell.
In 1971 Don married Anita Payette Milam Barcus (deceased). She had five children, four of whom were still living at home: Margaret Cunningham (Colin), Cheryl Barcus, Terri Barcus Curtis (Dan), Charlie Barcus and Paula Milam. They were married 20 years.
In 1992 Don married Peggy Gottschall Reiter Mullen. She had six children: Tim, Leslee, Curt, Melissa, Matt Reiter and Sam Mullen, who was still living at home. Peggy and Don were married 20 years and enjoyed side-by-side computers, genealogy, crossword puzzles, traveling and playing bridge together. She died in 2022.
Don enjoyed woodworking and he was an avid golfer — at one time playing a hole-in-one. He was an excellent euchre and bridge player. He was a 50+ year member of the Waynetown Masonic Lodge and of Waynetown Eastern Star. His pride and joy was managing the Waynetown Masonic Cemetery as trustee for over 30 years, helping people with selection and doing the accounting in Excel database. He also maintained the database of obituaries for the cemetery as a service to families until his death and donated a gazebo to the cemetery so that visitors might have a shady place to sit. He assisted in mowing the cemetery until he was 96. Don professes Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Visitation hours are 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 1 at Family and Friends Funeral Home of Wingate. Masonic Services will begin at noon Saturday and funeral services will follow with Pastor Chris Lawler officiating. Don will be laid to rest in Waynetown Masonic Cemetery in Waynetown.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Waynetown Community Improvement, P.O. Box 215, Waynetown, IN 47990.
To sign the guest book or share a condolence visit us at www.familyandfriendsfh.com.