Donald LaVern McVey, 91, of Roxana, Illinois, passed away peacefully March 25, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.

Donald was born January 17, 1931, in Wood River, Illinois, to the late Allen and Jennie McVey. He grew up with four brothers who have preceded him in death: Allen Jr. McVey, Bobby Lee McVey, "Red" Herbert Leon McVey, and Carl Dean McVey.

Upon graduation from Roxana High School, Don attended Shurtleff College in Alton, Illinois. He earned a BSEE from Washington University in St. Louis and also completed his MBA from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

A devoted and faithful husband, Donald married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life Helen Nail on November 25, 1951, and the two enjoyed sixty-nine happy years together in their home across from the Roxana Fire Station until her passing in 2020.

Don enjoyed a lengthy career at Olin Corporation as an Electrical Engineer and Project Manager before retiring in 1995, and he also served in the U.S. Naval Reserves.

Active in his community, Don coached little league baseball in Roxana for many years.  He also served both as a Roxana School Board Member and as a Village of Roxana Trustee.

He was at different times an active member of First Baptist Church in Roxana, where he was instrumental in establishing an Awana Club; Brown Street Baptist Church in Alton, where he served as a deacon and an Awana leader; and Faith Baptist Church in Godfrey, where he served in multiple capacities and strongly supported Mississippi Valley Christian School.

He had many interests including HAM radio, playing the banjo, photography, video editing, old classic movies and movie trivia, and cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals. He loved to travel and visit his children and grandchildren who are scattered across several states, attending their basketball games and musical concerts and always willing to help with babysitting duties or various projects around their homes.

Above all else Donald McVey cherished and loved his family. A highlight of each year was the annual Memorial Day family reunion when all of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren gathered together at his home for a weekend filled with activities, fellowship, food, and laughter. Don loved the Roxana Cone Barn, and each reunion included at least one trip where the entire family would enjoy ice cream together. With a crew of nearly 30, the line stretched almost to Central Avenue when the family arrived, and Don always commented, "It's a good thing we got here before the crowd!" Those treasured weekends flew by much too quickly, but Don always made sure that goodbyes to his children and grandchildren included enough hugs to "fill the hug bank" in order to last until the family could be together again.

Donald McVey never met a stranger. He always gave a smile, shared a quick joke, and asked questions about others. He was curious and inquisitive and exhibited a passion for learning that kept him busy until his 90's. He was a joy to be around, always positive, encouraging, and upbeat. He especially loved joking with the nurses and caregivers. Even in his later days when life had become more challenging, if asked how he was doing, Donald was known to respond with, "Well, I'm pretty good… except for a few major problems."

Donald is survived by his four children and their spouses: Kent & Laura McVey of Brooklyn, NY; Lisa & Dale Johnson of Littleton, CO; Mark & Darla McVey of Hanover Park, IL; and Dana McVey of Cornelius, NC; his 15 grandchildren: Brenda Martin, Chessie Martinez, Joanna Malm, Matthew Johnson, Timothy Johnson, Laura Johnson, Mark Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Bethany Johnson, Christina Johnson, Kyle McVey, Jason McVey, Emily Taylor, Kate Plummer, Marissa McVey-Plummer; and his 17 great- grandchildren: Timothy, Madyline, Breydon, Michael, Parker, Albert, Ginger, Charles, Eric, Zoe, Hayley, Daniel, David, Adelynn, Adalyn, Thomas, and Arianna – all of whom he loved and touched deeply.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Faith Baptist Church in Godfrey, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mississippi Valley Christian School.

An online guestbook is available at www.paynicfh.com