Donald “Don” D. Sears, 81

Donald “Don” D. Sears, 81, of Union, Iowa, passed away on the evening of July 17, 2020, at Grandview Heights Nursing Home in Marshalltown. A public visitation for family and friends will be held for Don from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 20, at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Burial for Don will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Union Cemetery with full military honors to take place at the graveside service. Per recommendation from the CDC, masks are encouraged to be worn and attendees are asked to practice social distancing. Memorials may be directed to Don’s family for a later designation and condolences may be left on the Mitchell Family Funeral Home website at www.mitchellfh.com. Care for Don and his family have been entrusted to Mitchell Family Funeral Home.

Donald Dean Sears was born April 18, 1939, to Wayne “Pete” and Martha (Rhoads) Sears in Greene City, Mo. He was the oldest of six born to the two. Don attended school in Unionville, Mo. In 1956, he enlisted in the United States Army where he proudly served from 1956-1959.

He was united in marriage to the love of his life Daphne Hudspeth on Dec. 31, 1960, in Unionville, Mo. The two moved to their lifelong home and began a family having four children. Don worked to support his family being a self-employed mechanic for Don Sears Repair.

In his free time, he loved to be busy, whether tinkering with cars or other various objects. He loved going to flea markets and garage sales with his wife to see what they could find. In his younger days he raced stock cars. Don and Daphne loved to take their family camping and travel together. His grandchildren were everything to him; he would attend their various sporting events and just get good quality time in with them.

Left to remember and cherish his memory are his children: Becky Vaughn, Joan Sears, Mark (Judy) Sears and Pam (Jeff) Thatcher; his grandchildren Ginna (Nic) Randall, Lexi (Phil) Metz, Luke Sears, Jessica (TJ Johnson) Sears, Ben Vawter, Shyla (Eric) Lampley, Haddie (Colt) Feltes and Mallory Vawter; 17 great-grandchildren; and his brother Claude Sears.

Don is preceded in death by his wife Daphne; his parents, Pete and Martha Sears; his siblings, Beverly Eggleston, Phyllis Sears, Sam Sears and Jimmy Sears; and his son-in-law Tim Vaughn.

Visit Mitchell Family Funeral Home by clicking here.