Donald A. Gebele, age 65, of Kettering, Ohio, passed away on October 12, 2026, at the Cleveland Clinic following a long journey with pulmonary sarcoidosis and a lung transplant.

Don married his self-proclaimed “awesome wife,” Marian, on November 1, 1986, and the two were just weeks shy of celebrating their 40th anniversary.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Ruth Gebele, and his in-laws, Richard and Sarah Hemmerich. He is survived by his wife, Marian (Hemmerich); his children, Sarah (Ryan) Nash, Krista (Chris) Wilson, and Dalton Gebele; and his grandchildren, Aidan, Dylan, Ava, and Elijah. He also leaves behind many loving family members, including his sister, Pam (Barry) Fecher; his brother, John Gebele; his brother-in-law, Bruce (Terri) Hemmerich; his nephews, Roger (Gina) Fecher, Robert (Chelsea) Fecher, Samuel (August) Hemmerich, Spencer (Ellie) Hemmerich, and Chandler (Sarah) Hemmerich; his nieces, Stephanie Hemmerich, Kasey (Nick) Sorensen, and Taylor Hemmerich; his chosen family member, Kathy Perkins; and a huge extended family.

Don was THE BEST husband, Dad, and Pop, and he loved his family endlessly. He always showed up for his family—from marching band competitions and plays to house projects and everything in between. He was there, ready to help with a smile on his face.

Don was a devoted Pop to his grandchildren, always ready and willing to go on ice cream dates, provide transportation to and from activities and sporting events, and spoil them without regard for their parents' wishes. If a grandchild was around, chances were good they could be found sitting on his lap. And if they weren't, he was absolutely ready to make room. A favorite tradition among his children and grandchildren was the annual reading of The Autobiography of Santa Claus.

His sense of humor was one of a kind. He was quick-witted and could never resist the opportunity to take a selfie when he was supposed to be taking a photo of someone else (we're now very grateful for all those selfies!). Don's affinity for chips, Pepsi, Oreos, baked ziti, and cookie dough ice cream was unparalleled. How did he always look so good?

He never hesitated to tackle a problem himself, long before HGTV made it cool, and he reliably spent his Friday evenings at Menards. Although he was always busy, he also loved his shows, including M*A*S*H*, Air Disasters, Dirty Jobs, and various sporting events, during which he somehow rarely made an ounce of noise.

Don will be remembered as wise, kind, calm, silly, loving, reliable, adventurous, and fun. When family members shared their favorite stories about Don, several common themes emerged: his patience, his sense of humor, his willingness to help others, and the fact that he always made nachos for dinner when Mom wasn't home.

In addition to his steadfast love for his family, Don could often be found volunteering to help others. Over the course of his life, he donated nearly six gallons of blood, saving 141 lives, and volunteered for numerous causes, including river cleanups, marching band activities, and other local organizations. Don was committed to ensuring his children had good taste in music. He listened almost exclusively to Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, Styx, and Bob Seger on a rotating basis, while never neglecting to listen to “Alice's Restaurant” at 12 p.m. sharp every Thanksgiving Day.

Don enjoyed spending his free time traveling, often in the family camper. He treasured opportunities to explore the diverse landscapes of the United States. He loved learning, engineering, and museums, and he was THAT GUY who made sure to stop and read every single sign. His kids LOVED this particular attribute when they were young.

Don always brought his sense of humor along for the ride, and his family will never forget the laughs they shared when his luggage knocked him over “domino style” on the subway in Washington, D.C. This was the same trip on which Don invented the now-notorious trash bag poncho during a particularly wet Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall. People were literally asking to buy trash bags from him. He once attempted to channel Steve Irwin by getting up close and personal with a baby alligator during a canoe trip, thinking that babies were harmless—until his daughter reminded him that babies have mamas and mamas get MAD. We have laughed about that story for 20 years. Over the course of his life, Don visited 24 national parks, although he wished to visit them all. We will make sure we finish his National Park Passport for him.

A multigenerational resident of Beavercreek, Don graduated from Beavercreek High School in 1979 and was later inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame. He earned bachelor's degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering from Wright State University and an Executive MBA from Xavier University. While attending college, Don served as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic with the Beavercreek Township Fire Department. As a young man, Don worked at Lofino’s for many years and was a Vice President at Copeland Roofing. He later retired as Director of System Operations from DP&L (later AES Ohio) after 23.5 years of service. He loved his job and seemed to know that power grid better than anyone else. Coworkers described Don as “the calm in the storm” during major outage events. He formed many friendships that lasted a lifetime, especially with Greg and Diana Roth.

Don leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, generosity, and quiet dependability. He was the person who showed up, lent a hand, made a memory, said ‘yes’ to new opportunities, and found a way to make people laugh. His family was his greatest joy, and he will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research or the Transplant House of Cleveland. In Don's memory, we also encourage you to become an organ, tissue, and blood donor. What a great opportunity to recycle ourselves for others.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Routsong Funeral Home Kettering (2100 E. Stroop Rd., Kettering, Ohio 45429).

Funeral services will take place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church (2300 S. Smithville Rd., Dayton, Ohio 45420). Services will begin at 11 a.m. and will be officiated by Father Satish Joseph, Don's beloved priest. Private burial services will take place at a later date.

Don taught his family that love is found in showing up, lending a hand, making someone laugh, and never missing an opportunity to spend time together. What a legacy to leave.