Date Of Birth: January 30, 1943
Date Of Death: January 15, 2007
Donald Alan Blewett, 63, passed away peacefully on Monday surrounded by his children. He was an engineer and entrepreneur who capped his career working for his beloved Purdue University. Don was born January 30, 1943, in Bloomington to Elizabeth Corinne (White) and Harry Earl Blewett. After graduating from North Central H.S., he earned his B.S. in civil engineering from Purdue (Â’65) and served in the Vietnam War. Upon returning, Don maintained his rank in the Army Reserves and returned to Purdue to receive his M.S. in Civil Engineering (Â’70). He was a very accomplished professional engineer and began his career working for Owens Corning, where he was integral in developing new technologies at their research center. In 1981, Don accepted the position of V.P., Marketing and Sales with Tibbet Inc. In 1989, Don founded Precision Cutoff of Toledo, Inc., where he was able to fully implement his passion for entrepreneurship. In 1999, he sold the company and returned to Purdue for his MBA (Â’02). Most recently, Don was the Associate Director for the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship where he pursued his passion for Purdue and business daily.Don is survived by his mother, Corrine Walker, of Indianapolis; daughter, Holly of Carmel; and his two sons, Donald (Julie) of Palmdale, CA, and Duane, of Savannah, GA. Also surviving are grandchildren, Sarah and Nicholas Blewett; great-grandchildren, Hailey and Emily; half-brother, Daniel (Laurel); a half-sister, Joy S. Laughter; stepmother, Marjorie Smith Blewett; the mothers of his children, Diane Click and Pamela Blewett; two stepsons, Adam and Aaron (Karie) Rowan and their children Kyle and Megan; a close friend, Gloria Dooley, and countless friends and associates. He was preceded in death by his father Harry in 1988.Funeral service will be Thursday, January 18 at 3 p.m. in Harry Moore Mortuary, 8151 Allisonville Rd, with calling from 1 to 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Dean’s Discretionary Fund at the Krannert School of Business, make checks payable to: Purdue Foundation, Attn Rick Cosier, 1310 Krannert Bldg, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1310
Jerry Koett says
Don was a wonderful member of our group throughout High School. We attended several parties at the Blewetts’ pink house on Allisonville Road and he will be so very missed. I had not seen him in about 40 years and I finally found him by Googling his name and e-mailed him at Purdue. I was hoping we could have a reunion with both myself & Tom Bennett sometime soon, but we were both unaware he was ill. It seemed to happen very quickly. The showing happened very quickly as well, I read here that the showing was today and the service is Thursday. I am so sorry I will not be able to attend. I wanted to see Mrs. Blewett, but circumstaneces prohibit that. My condolences to her and Diane.I know she & Don were divorced, and I think still friends. Our prayers are with you at this time of loss. May God bless you during your time of grieving. Please e-mail me when ever the pain subsides.
Blessings,
Jerry Koett
Tom Cheryl Bennett says
We were so saddened to hear of Don’s passing. We were planning on a reunion after thirty years. Our prayers are with the family.
Beverly H Gellinger says
Corinne, Sorry unable to be with you
today, will be thinking of you with
prayer and thoughts. Remember the
memories.
Prayers and special thoughts for you and his family.
Best, Beverly H Gellinger
Amy Shaw says
My prayers and thoughts are with you all. I am so sorry for your loss, and I am very glad that I had the chance to spend a week getting to know him. May God be with you all during this difficult time. Always, Amy.
Shelley CanadaBarrell says
Dear Donnie, Dwayne & Holly:
My heart has been quite heavy for each of you over the past year.
I knew Don when I was a young girl and he and my Mother Gloria shared a wonderful friendship. They took my brother Richard, Donnie, Dwayne and I camping, skiing and we had many donuts and fondue dinners together. Don was a very importnat part of my childhood. He was a fantastic fellow.
I had the honor of him being back in our lives some 30 years later. I hold him in the highest regards. My Mom was blessed to have the true loyal friend that Don was. We were blessed to create new memories in the past few years.
It was so obvious how much Don loved his Children. God Bless you all as you endure this very difficult time. Give my Mom Gloria a hug for me, and please accept the one I am sending to you with her.
Love Shelley
andrea warling says
We send our sympathy to all of you. Losing someone we love is always so sad but the memories are the lasting foundation for the life we shared. Hold on to them to keep him alive in your hearts.
Hugs to all of you.
Remember all the Christmasses at Moms with the gift tags with all the Don B’s and Donny B’s. That was always so funny to me to have 4 in our family.
Love Andy and Clay
Leslie, Margie and Donny and all of the family here in Memphis.
Amy Coffin Storer says
My sympathy to Diane Collier Click and to Don’s children and family. Many wonderful memories of Don and Diane from our days at North Central High School.
Fondly,
Amy Coffin Storer
Class of 1960
Don Buchman says
I met Don through our mutual interest in entrepreneurship and recruited him as a Director of Radian Research in Lafayette. I loved working and being with Don. I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing. I extend my sincere sympathy to all his family. I will miss him.
Steffany Brad Schuster says
Holly,
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Our condolences for your loss.
-Bradford & Steffany Schuster
Dennis Carson says
I am truly saddened by this news and my deepest sympathies to the Blewett family. I work for the City of Lafayette and a community development organization and I had the pleasure of working with Don on several community engagement projects in his capacity at Purdue University. Don was a tremendous asset and resource in addition to being a great person of intellect and integrity. Don will be missed.
Gerry Sue Kincade says
Don was a great boss, a better friend, and a super guy. Sue & I mourn his passing deeply.
Teri Miller says
I know Don has found Dad and Uncle Ray, they are at some slot machine dumping their endlist pile of money into it trying to double it for some good reason. I know that they are in heaven enjoying each others company again. May they all rest in peace and we just think of the good times and memories that we had when they were with us.
Robert Dennie says
Holly, Pam, Aaron and Adam:
We wish to share our deepest sympathy to you on your loss. Being Pam’s neighbor for the past 16 1/2 years, I often enjoyed speaking with Don during our impromptu fence-side chats.
You are in our thoughts and prayers!
Love, your friends,
The Dennie clan: Bob, Lynn, Jacob, Jordan, Lauren, and Poppy, too!
Erin Lyman says
I graduated from Krannert the year after Don. He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. I loved seeing his smiling face everyday. My prayers and thoughts are with you.
Michael Preyss says
Don:
You are missed already. I enjoyed our talks during school and after. You were indeed an asset and Krannert is at a loss without you. God Speed, R. Michael Preyss
Nikki Robinson says
I got to know Don while he was being treated at Arnett. He always made me laugh and was a very special man.
Don White Jr and Karyl says
Don and I basically grew up together. Although we were cousins, we seemed as brothers. Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Don is in our prayers.
Linda Cannaley says
To Pam, Donnie, Duane, Aaron, Adam, Holly and DonÆs Mom,
I feel for each of you having to deal with DonÆs loss. I am sorry I could not be there to be with all of you. Jim will be there to represent both of us along with Grandma Najarian. Please know our hearts are heavy, knowing he suffered so much and realizing the hole in all of your hearts for a man who was so important in all of your lives.
Each one of you, I know, had a soulful relationship with Don. Even though when we lose someone we love we always wish that that relationship was more perfect. Maybe, however, our souls donÆt demand perfection, it just looks for nourishment that affects us with beautiful, although imperfect, gifts of remembrance that will carry each one of us though out our lives.
God bless you all
Linda Cannaley
Mike Sheahan says
I’m so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. He was always a most cordial colleague to work with at Purdue. I’ll always hear in my mind his standard greeting to me, in that distinctive voice of his, “Hey, Mikey!” My heartfelt sympathy to his friends and family.
MJ Hill and Family says
Holly,
Please know that you and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time. Words can not express our deepest sympathies for you familyÆs great loss.
M.J. Hill and Family
David Lasater says
Don was a great friend and fantastic colleague. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known him.
Cassandra Biggerstaff says
To Don’s family and friends:
My condolences on Don’s passing. I met Don when I was a 1st year student in the MBA program when he was a 2nd year student. I enjoyed talking with him and learning his lessons about life and entrepreneurship. One thing that will always stick with me is Don’s realization of what his business activities cost him in his personal relationships. I appreciated the wisdom and life lessons that he had to share.
Leonard E Fields says
Corinne and all of Don’s family
I am so sorry for your loss and I regret that my health prevented me from coming to his service. I remember always that Don was a man of his word and I can think of no higher praise.
Leonard Fields
Toledo, Ohio
Brian Stewart says
I met Don at Krannert where he was great source of wisdom. He will be missed greatly. My condolences to his family.
cooper suter says
The fact that I’m typing this, and the fact that I have tears in my eyes as I do it are a testimony to the kind of man Don Blewett was.
I only knew Don for a few years, and that was over 20 yrs. ago, but he’s someone I’ve thought of since.
Someone who took the time and influenced me positively at a time in my life when I needed it.
He hired a punk kid for odd jobs,and along w/the pay, came the chance to burn off adolescent energies positively, learn the value of work, and be exposed to Dons wisdom.
At the time, most of Dons wisdom to me had to do w/life purpose, and motorcycles, and alcohol, and the vagaries of contraception.
It would be nice to say that I listened to what Don had to say and avoided all the bumps in the road of life, but I didn’t.
But thats not the point, the point is Don CARED enough, and took the TIME, even with someone he had know reason to bother with.
I have to believe I’m one of thousands who Don took the TIME for, and CARED enough to try for.
What better legacy can a man leave?
God speed and love Don.
Sally Luzader says
I met Don when he joined our MBA program here at Krannert–he brought a spirit to the program all his own, and all of us in career services enjoyed his sense of humor and friendliness. My husband and I went to visit him in the hospital right before Christmas, and I am so glad we made that visit and had a chance to talk with him one last time. We will miss him dearly–but we will not forget his loyalty to Krannert and his Purdue family.
Sally and Tim Luzader
Purdue University
JUDY TYSON says
OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO DUANE AND HIS FAMILY IN THERE RECENT LOSS. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YA”LL.
THE TYSON FAMILY
Leslie Beck says
Uncle Don was lucky to be surrounded by so many people who loved him. I know how much you will all miss him. Just remember how happy you made him during his last days and so many others before that.
Julie Price Saba says
Holly,
I was so sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. Please accept my deepest sympathy. Please know that time will help to heal your heart and may you find comfort in knowing that many people share your sadness.
Don was a terrific friend to me when he was here in Toledo. I remember when he helped me put up the ceiling fan in the bedroom at my condo. It was so nice of him to offer his assistance, but even nicer to have him there and talk with him that afternoon. He was such a smart, kind man. I’m sorry that we lost touch over the past few years and deeply regret doing so. He was a man that touched so many lives and hearts and will not be forgotten.