He came to Princeton from Penn Charter in Philadelphia, where he was president of his class, played football, and ran track. At Princeton he majored in economics and was a member of Orange Key and Cannon Club. Don roomed with Jim Lehman, George McLaughlin, Leman Davis, and Yannis Stephano. He maintained lifelong friendships with fellow Cannon clubbers Alan Haggerty, Bill Hamilton, and Frank Gobetz.
After graduation he married Deborah Deming and, after fulfilling his ROTC commitment, returned to Philadelphia in 1960 and embarked on a 40-year career in business. While working fulltime during the day, he earned a law degree at night at Temple University School of Law. He retired in 2000 from a career in the insurance industry, last serving as senior vice president of investments for Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Don was an old-school Republican — economically conservative and socially progressive. True to his values, he voted across party lines when he felt it was necessary. Don was a feminist in the late ’60s and early ’70s, promoting women he supervised and emphasizing to his daughters that they could do or be anything they wanted when they grew up. He was a student of history — especially World War II, a voracious reader, golf enthusiast, sports fan, world traveler, connoisseur of fine food and liquor, and a magnet for small children and animals. He seemed to know a little something about everything and had an uncanny ability to find common ground to talk about with anyone he met.
Don is survived by his wife, Debbie; one son; three daughters, including Kathryn Goetz Wolf ’83; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The class extends its deepest sympathy to them all.