Donald Ray Dutt

   Donald Ray Dutt, 93, of Marion, went to be with the Lord early Saturday morning, June 11, 2022, surrounded by family and held in love at the home of his daughter, Luann Thomas, of Richwood. Don was born on March 14, 1929 in Marion, Ohio, the eldest of two sons of the late Raymond and Gretta (Glasgow) Dutt.

   When Don was two years old, his father, Raymond H. Dutt, strapped him on his back when he went hunting. Don grew to love hunting and fishing and developed a passion for almost any sport. From his earliest years, he would listen to baseball games on the radio in the evening and during the day would throw a hard rubber ball against a wall, pretending to be a major-league pitcher. When Don was six years old, his uncle and aunt were killed in a car accident, leaving two children, Evelyn, 9, and Thelma, 3. Rather than allowing the orphans to be placed in a childrens’ home, Gretta and Ray took them in as their own. Don and Evelyn grew very close and became life-long friends. Don was 12 when his parents had Merle. Don loved sharing his love of sports with his younger brother.

   Don got his first job at age 14, delivering flowers for Musser’s Florist in Marion. When his dad purchased a farm in nearby Pleasant Township, Don left Marion for Pleasant High School and played on every boys’ sports team the school had. He played center on the basketball team and was pitcher on the school’s baseball team, which was undefeated and won its league in his senior year, 1947. Don tried out for the minor league farm team for the Boston Red Sox. It was late in the season and they told him they could use him next season, but not this one. Don was going to wait, but his father convinced him that that wasn’t practical if he wanted to raise a family, so Don instead took two jobs: pumping gas at the Sohio gas station on the corner of Columbia and Main Street and working as an erector’s helper at the Marion Power Shovel Co. He married his high school sweetheart, Arlene Gorby and, after the Korean War broke out, enlisted in the Marine Air Corps. He was never deployed, but was stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina as a sergeant in charge of maintaining aircraft.

   Their first son, John, was born in 1952, and Don and Arlene bought their first home on Roberts Avenue in Marion a couple of years later. Don returned to work at the Shovel after his military service ended, and a few years later took a job at Eaton Manufacturing, where he worked until he retired at age 63. Don and Arlene had four children before divorcing in 1963. In an unusual twist, Don kept all the children with him for the first several years, and so was a single father of four youngsters. In 1968, his two daughters, Jeanne and Jill, went to live with their mother in Indiana, but the boys, John and Jim, stayed with their father until graduating high school. Don coached his sons and many others on the Marion Little League team.

   In 1971, Don fell in love with the woman he would be married to for the next 43 years, Ruth Genevieve “Ginny” Thomas. A widow with three children, Ginny and Don delighted in their burgeoning family of seven children and the many grandchildren to come. They loved to travel with friends to places like Myrtle Beach to golf and to Kentucky on camping trips. They held an annual family cookout on the Fourth of July in their back yard and watched the fireworks at the Marion County Fairgrounds from the driveway of their neighbors across the street. They were members of the Kensington Church of the Nazarene, where for many years Don organized the monthly community breakfast.

   Don loved planting flowers of all kinds and tended a small vegetable garden most every season. When Don moved in with Luann and Ralph to spend what ended up being his final five years, Ralph took over planting the tomatoes under Don’s approving and watchful eye. The two shared a playful morning routine before Ralph went to work and Don and Luann spent their days talking with each other, going to appointments, and making special trips to visit the Amish. Don especially enjoyed their pies. In the evenings, the three would banter about whatever sport they were watching. Fridays were a highlight because Don’s son Dick would come for the day and bring doughnuts. The two would spend the day laughing and joking. Don adored birds – especially hummingbirds and blue jays – and could identify many by their songs or by the way they flew. He loved going to Ralph and Luann’s cabin in Kentucky and would spend hours sitting on their porch, watching the deer, squirrels, birds and other animals that wandered by. Sports remained his passion. He loved playing golf. At home he would often have three televisions going, watching different games on each, sometimes even with the radio tuned to a fourth. He loved to tease and joke with his friends and family and was not shy about sharing his wisdom on how to live life, cook meals, plant crops, and manage relationships. He relished second-guessing umpires about balls and strikes.

   Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife, his parents, and his sisters Evelyn and Thelma.

   Left to cherish his memory are his brother Merle and his wife, Dianna (Stiffler) Dutt, of Prospect, as well as Don’s seven children and their significant others: Jackie and Rick Holycross of Morral, Ohio; Richard J. Thomas of Crestline, Ohio; John and Laura Dutt of St. Cloud, Florida; James and Rachel Dutt of Oviedo, Florida; Luann Thomas and Ralph Frazier of Richwood, Ohio; Jeanne and Robert Raish of Canisteo, New York; and Jill and Derek Drew of Sharon, Connecticut. Don is also survived by 16 grandchildren and their significant others: Jason and Tammy Burton; Mathew and Celeste Holycross; Brooke and Charles Nash; Holly and Steve Rose; Brittney and Cody Frasure; Zachary Thomas; Harold Cabrera; Anna Ellsworth; Kathryn Ellsworth and Justin Waldrop; Harmony Simon; Jeramy Dutt; Jason and Jen Raish; Robert Raish; Pam and Rich Crabtree; Donna Suttling, Seth Drew, and Caitlin Odom. He has 21 great-grandchildren: Tyler Burton; Alyssa Burton; Preston Burton; Sophie Nash; Lilly Nash; Ellie Nash; Nicholas Sorrenson; Jackson Rose; Hudson Frasure; Case Frasure; Emmi Frasure; Elijiah Cabrera; Olivia Waldrop; Austin Kline; Serenity Dutt; Chance and Stephanie Phipps; Drake Phipps and Lexie; Abby Crabtree and Fisher; Preston Crabtree; Haley Frazier, and Emmaleigh Frazier. He leaves two great-great-grandchildren: Elaina and Mylah Burton, as well as four nieces and their families: Kathryn and Kent Baker of Ada, Ohio, with children Kyle and Konnor Baker; and Karen and Mark Sabel of Marion; Tita and Brett McFarland, with children Kelsey and Caleb McFarland; and Elena and Mike Sowards, with children Michael and David Sowards.

   His family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 16 at Boyd-Born Funeral Home at 122 W. Columbia Street, Marion. A celebration of Don’s life will be held there on Friday, June 17 at 11 am. Minister Jeff Webb will officiate. Burial will follow in Grand Prairie Cemetery at 4964 Brush Ridge Drive North in Marion. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Audubon Society.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald Ray Dutt, please visit our floral store.