Donald H. Sawyer December 25, 2014 BRANTINGHAM, N.Y. — Donald H. Sawyer, 83, of Stonehouse Lane, died peacefully on Christmas day, Dec. 25. Donald was born on December 9, 1931 in Peterborough, NH. He was the second born of the six sons of Jason C. Sawyer and Elizabeth Doty Sawyer. Along with his five brothers, Donald was raised on the family dairy farm in Jaffrey, NH. He attended Conant High School and graduated from the School of Agriculture at UNH, Durham NH, in 1951. During his years at UNH he was a cadet in the ROTC. Upon completion of college, Don married his high school sweetheart, Betty Anna Lewis. Donald and Betty raised four children, Deborah, Scott, Cynthia, and Rebecca (now deceased). Donald worked a variety of jobs before and after college including selling tractors, bulldozing, snow plowing, roadside grass cutting, carpentry, and working on his familys farm. In 1956, Don trained at the NH/VT School of Artificial Insemination of Dairy Cattle. He worked in that profession in NH and VT, and later in NY, for the next 18 years. From 1974 to 1991, Donald continued his agricultural, farm related work through Blue Seal Feeds. Over the years Donald served as a member of the Volunteer Fire Departments in Walpole, NH and Guilderland, NY and the Snowmobile Rescue Squad of Boonville, NY. Donald was an avid snowmobiler and 4-wheeler. He was a charter member of the Lost Trail Snowmobile Club of Boonville and a member of the Brantingham Snowmobilers Club. Don rode on several group snowmobile trips to Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Thanks to his mothers insistence on her boys learning French, Don found himself quite adept at pronouncing the French names of many locations in Canada. Besides snowmobile trips, Donald planned a major 4-wheeling trip, with his good friends, to Big Rock Candy Mountain in Utah. Donald thoroughly enjoyed studying maps and planning trips. He had an extensive collection of geological survey maps, old and new. Don relished watching cooking shows and was quite skilled in the kitchen. He was famous for his antipasto salad. One thing Don Sawyer was well known for was his quick wit and knack for delivering a good joke. People expected him to always have a new (or old) joke to tell and were quite disappointed on the rare occasions when he didnt! One of the typical places his jokes would be told, and retold, was in any of the several coffee shops that Don frequented. A good day for Don always included a cup of coffee with his friends, followed by reading the newspaper, and keeping up on politics and current events. Surviving are Betty L. Sawyer, his wife of 62 years, daughter Deb Oliver (Richard), son Scott Sawyer (Lin), and daughter Cynthia Present; grandchildren Elizabeth Doty Oliver Beasley, Katherine Oliver Lawrence, Brandy Sawyer Duink, Charity Sawyer Savage, Melissa Sawyer Brockett, Jason Scott Sawyer, Sarah and David Present, Lincoln, Ethan, and Gretchen Rice, plus four great-grandchildren, Samuel Beasley, and Tristen, Savanah, and Ariana Savage. He is also survived by his brothers Clifton (Joyce), Jeremy (Barbara), Sheldon (Rosella), Peter (Ann), and Perry (Linda), who all reside in New Hampshire, and many nieces and nephews. Donald was very proud of his family and was loved by all. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brantingham-Greig Community Reading and Technology Center, 5186 Greig Rd., Greig, NY 13345, or a charity of one’s choice. There will be an Open House for friends at the family home in Brantingham 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, followed by services on Wednesday December 31st at Forest Presbyterian Church, Lyons Falls. A calling hour will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., prior to a memorial service at 11 a.m. at the church, with Rev. Naomi Kelly, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow the service in Brantingham Cemetery. Condolences may be made online at isenekerfuneralhome. Information provided by Iseneker Funeral Home of Lowville and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 05:23:42 +0000
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