Donald Keith Haynes

Donald Keith Haynes

Donald Keith Hayes was born at home on October 24, 1924, in McFarland Kansas, the oldest child of Charles Andrew Haynes and Helen LaMar Haynes. He grew up during the Great Depression with his brother Robert and their dog Louie. His father Charles worked for the railroad and instilled in Don the work ethic that guided him throughout his life. His mother Helen raised the boys, cooked everything from scratch, canned vegetables, and played piano in their church on Sundays.

Don often told stories of growing up in the little railroad town of McFarland, swimming and fishing in Mill Creek, playing baseball, and hopping trains that came through town. As a boy he was hired by the railroad to work as a "Gandy dancer", a job he described as hot and hard work, laying rails by hand. When the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor in 1941, Don wanted to enlist in the Navy, but his mother insisted he finish high school first. Don played baseball and football in school, and at one time was scouted by a professional baseball team. he was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and in retirement could often be seen on the golf course wearing his red St. Louis Cardinals cap.

Don graduated from high school in Alma, Kansas in 1943, and immediately joined the Navy. He became a Machinist First Class and served on Amphibian Personal Attack ships. He served on the USS Farragut, USS George Clymer, and the USS Crescent City in the Pacific theater. He took leave in Guam, Palau, and the Philippines. In 1946 he was honorably discharged from the Navy and began working for the Power and Light Company in Manhattan, Kansas. He also continued to play baseball in a local league.

Soon after, Don entered college on the GI Bill at Emporia State Teachers' College. he earned his BA in Education in 1951 and his MA in Education in 1955.

While attending college, Don met a nursing student named Shirley Straight. She and Don were married on May 29, 1948, in Emporia, Kansas. They had four children.

After two years of teaching school in Kansas, Don was hired as a sales representative for Silver Burdett Publishing Company. In 1957, he and Shirley moved their family from western Kansas, first to Bedford and then to Bloomington, Indiana. He began his career traveling southern Indiana, the trunk of his car laden with textbooks.

During his early years with Silver Burdett, Don was encouraged to take up golf which became a lifelong passion. He also loved to play bridge, and he enjoyed these leisure activities for the rest of his life.

Don was successful in business, being promoted to field manager and then product manager, resulting in a move in 1967 to Silver Burdett's home office in Morristown, New Jersey.

In New jersey, Don met Nancy Lehmann and they were married on October 11,1969, in Dublin, New Hampshire. They had no children.

In 1970, Don was appointed regional vice president; he and Nancy moved to Chicago, where they lived until Don's retirement in 1990.

Upon retirement they moved to Waynesville, North Carolina, where they enjoyed a breathtaking view of the Smoky Mountains for 28 years. They attended Grace Church in the Mountains and were members of the Laurel Ridge Country Club.

Don was well respected by his colleagues, and many said he had a great sense of humor. For his 92nd birthday, a family celebration was held in Bloomington, Indiana; two of his old friends from Silver Burdett made a surprise visit from Chicago to celebrate with him.

In 2017, Don and Nancy moved to Catonsville, Maryland, to be closer to family. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary there in 2019.

Don was predeceased by his brother Robert Haynes in 1968, his former wife Shirley Straight Haynes in 1987 and his son Chris Haynes in 2015.

Don is survived by his wife Nancy, of Catonsville Maryland. Also surviving are his sons Larry Haynes and his wife Jane, Gene Haynes and his wife Holly; his daughter Andrea Haynes; his granddaughters Maureen Weiner and her husband Henry, and Shannon Haynes; his grandson Ross Haynes and his wife Jo Tossi. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Patrick Henry Weiner, Annabelle Sage Haynes, Isabelle Rose Haynes, and Ezra Gabriel Moss Haynes.

A Memorial Service will be held at Brightview Rolling Hills located at 848 S. Rolling Road Catonsville, MD 21228 on Saturday, February 18, 2023 beginning at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family would kindly consider purchasing Memorial Tree's or making a charitable donation to Gilchrist Hospice in memory of Don.