Donald Edward Oda

Donald E. Oda I, beloved husband of Barbara Oda, passed away on October 1, 2024. He peacefully departed from his home in Dayton surrounded by family and those who love him to be with his lord and savior Jesus Christ - where he is certain to again be surrounded by family and those who love him. He was 81.

In addition to his wife Barbara, he is survived by five children: Cindy, Don II, Gina, Mike and Matt; his sisters: Shirley and Frogg; numerous grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews, dear friends and his remarkable Aunt Freda, who celebrated her 106th birthday this year. He is preceded in death by his parents Carl and Lorean Oda; his two brother-in-laws Denny and Larry; his son-in-law Vince, his grandson Derrick, his niece Kimmy and his namesake ‘Big Don’ Foucht.

Don was born on a Wednesday - April 7, 1943 and would be the oldest of three children who all grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He spent many joyful years at his childhood home of 4207 Morningside Blvd. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1967 where he played intramural basketball and softball for Cincinnati General. He worked at Metropolitan Life alongside his eventual, lifelong friend Bert Snarski. He would later work for Union Camp, where he met Barbara, and went on to run his own company, Ohio School Supply. While at Union Camp he was a founding member of the Indiana College Bookstore Association.

He had the diverse distinctions of serving as a Kentucky Colonel, a little league baseball coach and as president of the Franklin Umpires Association. He was a fan of the Cincinnati Reds - Pete Rose in particular - and was to be a life-long season ticket holder for the Cincinnati Bengals - until Mike Brown instituted the seat license program in the late 1990s and he turned in his tickets in protest. He was a member of the Franklin Baptist Church where it was his high honor to change the sign out front. He shot a hole in one playing golf, drove a lap in a NASCAR race car and played softball on Monday nights with three generations of Odas that included his dad, son, nephews, cousins and even an in-law or two.

Memorial Service will be held at the Franklin Baptist Church, 160 Deardoff Rd. in Franklin on Saturday, October 19, 2024 with visitation beginning at 10:30a.m. with a service at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Franklin Baptist Church in his memory.