Don Leo Raymer, 81

Don Leo Raymer went to his eternal reward on October 3, 2020, at the age of 81. Don was born on December 9, 1938, in Windyville, Kentucky, as the second son of Theodore and Jerlean Raymer, who welcomed their son home with joy.

Ask anyone who knew Don - affectionately known as Don L - to describe him and the word you’d be sure to hear quite often would be “gracious.” The love of Don’s life was his wife, Margaret, whom he adored with a passion that his children and grandchildren sought to emulate. If you knew one thing about Don L, you knew he loved Margaret.

He was gracious with his country wisdom, which he dispensed to family, friends, and Democrats (through his ongoing series of letters to the editor). Don was also gracious with his money, always quick to spoil Margaret, his children Greg and Leigh Ann, and especially his grandchildren: Josh, Connor, Tory, Jax, and Ella. His grandkids knew if they couldn’t get something from their parents, “Papaw” was just a phone call away.

Don made an impression on everyone he met. Those who bought a vehicle from him admired his honesty and fairness, and usually wound up as repeat customers. He thanked them for their purchase with a jar of relish to use in their pinto beans.
If you sat next to him at a ballgame, you respected the love and support he showed his children or grandchildren, even if you were rooting for the other team. He coached many young men throughout the years in both city and county youth baseball teams. Don was probably best known for his American Legion Runnin Rebels baseball team, which traveled on the big red SOKY bus with the horn that played over 50 different tunes.
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If you were lucky enough to join him at Saturday breakfast - his love for which was only surpassed by his love for Margaret - you took joy in Don’s unique collection of sayings, known as Papaw-isms. “Pert near but not plumb,” “Don’t be a weenie,” and “Get up and light the lamp” were among some of his family’s favorite Papaw-isms.

Don is survived by Margaret, his wife of 61 years; his son Greg and daughter-in-law Stacy; his daughter Leigh Ann; his grandchildren Josh and his wife Ali, Connor and his wife Becca, Tory, Jax, and Ella; and his great-grandchildren, JJ, Bo, and Paxton. He is preceded in death by his parents, Theodore and Jerlean; his older brother, Wahn Theo; and his half-sister, Alcamae Cieslak.

A public visitation will be held Tuesday, October 6 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with the funeral immediately after from 12-1 p.m. at J.C. Kirby and Son Funeral Chapel, with the burial afterward at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Don can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.