Donald Urbank

Donald Edgar Urbank
NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP - Donald Edgar Urbank "Don", was born on February 10, 1928 in Peninsula, Ohio, lived a rich and full 88 years, peacefully passing away on April 30, 2016 at his home in Northampton with family. Don was an aviator, metal sculptor, rancher, water well driller and saw mill operator, a free spirit who marched to his own drummer and could not go anywhere in Summit County without running into a familiar face.
Don graduated from Hudson High School in 1946. He owned his own water well drilling business, Urbank Well Drilling, and worked for many years at the family optical shop. Don served in the Army from 1947 to 1948 as an optician in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Don met his dearly loved wife Anna Lois Payne "Lois" at the Mistletoe Ball in Akron on December 27, 1950, and they married on June 23, 1951. Dad said "I saw Lois, knew she was a keeper and decided I would do everything I could to marry her" and he did. Don and Lois lived in Northampton Township on five acres for 61 years until Lois passed on September 17, 2012. Don's first gift to Lois when they were dating was a bushel of apples. Don and Lois loved their property and their home was a welcoming place for friends to "just drop in" and where many picnics and hayrides were hosted.
For over 25 years, Don exhibited his Scottish Highland cattle at the Canfield Fair. Don once showed up in a tuxedo for the judging of a Scottish Highland calf where the judges awarded him a blue ribbon for "Champion Bull" with the letters "o-n-e-y" added on. In the 1970's he built a Conestoga wagon and along with prairie girls, indians and his brothers' oxen team, showed it in parades. Don carved miniature oxen yokes representing various countries and his metal work Jasper the dinosaur and Oliver the Pterodactyl were exhibited at Blossom Music Center. He once helped a neighbor shoot two Civil War cannons during a Blossom performance of the War of 1812 Overture and would say "I used to play with the Cleveland Orchestra" and when asked "What did you play?" he would respond, with a straight face, "Second cannon". Don owned, flew and "cracked-up" a Meyers Model OTW Training bi-plane and operated a John Cooper circa 1885 sawmill at "Urbank Sawmill Works" in his back yard. Through the years, Don interviewed "old timers" and gave speeches about stills and making whiskey in the Cuyahoga Valley. He held a life-long interest in the history of the Civil War and World Wars I and II. Don only used John Deere tractors on his farm, bred and hunted with Norwich terriers, knew the species of every tree in the woods and enjoyed finding arrowheads. Don loved watching baseball, especially the Cleveland Indians, two types of pie hot and cold, peanut brittle, ice water, beer, traveling to Cox's Mills West Virginia, Great Falls Montana, Kidron auctions, singing cowboy songs and telling jokes and stories. Polly, Blue and Gunther were his favorite dogs.
Many thanks to neighbors Kathy and Jerry Leek, Ron Zents and Cousin Terry for their help and friendship to Don over the years.
Don was preceded in death by his wife Lois; by his parents Frederick and Florence; siblings Margaret, Fred, John (Jack), Paul and Rebecca and son-in-law Bob Bingham. He is survived by his brother Phil (Ronda) and daughters Ann (Pete) Tomasek, Mary Woods, Martha Bingham (fiancé Dennis Angerstien), Donna (Peter) Schimmoeller, and Dorothy (Norman) Schertenleib; granddaughters Alexandria, Emma, Kara, Hailey and Kate; and many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends may call on Tuesday, May 10, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Billow's Falls Chapel, 1907 23rd Street, Cuyahoga Falls 44223. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 11 at Steels Corners Christian Church at 3996 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls 44223, followed by inurnment at Northampton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Open M Free Health Clinic, OPEN M, 941 Princeton Street, Akron, Ohio 44311; (330) 434-0110; www.openm.org . (Billow FALLS Chapel)