Donald L. Oros

Donald Oros, 67, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2025, after a lengthy illness.

Beloved husband of Susan and proud father of Benjamin; Don is also survived by his dear mother, Phyllis; and brother, Mark (Debbie). He was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin.

An engineer by profession, Don spent his personal time applying his ingenuity and craftsmanship to a remarkable array of projects. One of his earliest was the bold demolition of Sue’s kitchen while they were still only dating. She took a flyer on him, a bet that paid off in a lifelong partnership, plus a shiny new kitchen. The years that followed saw them undertaking even bigger projects, and the pair never sold a house without the paint still drying as they locked up for the last time. Don’s accomplishments included cutting gems and creating jewelry, woodworking, gutting and renovating houses, rebuilding wrecked cars, and erecting two garages to store his many toys. His proudest achievement was building a hunting camp in the wilds of Jefferson County, fashioned from used shipping containers and outfitted with running water, electricity, and to the relief of visitors, a working bathroom. Don was always eager to lend a hand or share advice on a friend’s home renovation project. A great day was one spent with Big Ben or Little Ben working on that day’s endeavor, and later relaxing on the patio with Sue, sipping on a beer or a nice bottle of Cabernet and watching planes fly by.

Don loved to travel, though for him the fun was often less about the destination and more about the friends he got to travel with. He hiked Hawaii’s Nā Pali Coast and parts of the Appalachian Trail, and logged thousands of miles on foot through locations across the United States and 15 other countries. Napa Valley wine country held many special memories. Our cruise to Iceland was the trip we thought he’d never live to take, and he amazed us one last time by setting foot on that island just a month before his death.

He eagerly looked forward to annual traditions with family and friends: hosting family holidays, rounding the bars at Put-In-Bay, March pancake breakfasts (including the infamous year we made the local police blotter), wine tasting dinners, and most of all, hunting week. Each November found him tromping through the snow and mud before dawn, shivering in a tree stand, eating and drinking under the stars, telling and retelling stories with his best friends around a campfire — these made him a happy man.

Don enriched his life by sharing his time, talents, and joyful exuberance with others, and we, in turn, have been forever enriched by him. He is irreplaceable.

Friends may call SUNDAY, July 20, 2025, from 1-4 PM at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. Fairlawn, OH 44333, where a memorial service will commence on MONDAY, July 21 at 10:00 AM.

Services in care of the Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. Fairlawn, OH 44333.