Donald W. Guzzetta, 64, of Burlington, passed away Friday, May 5, 2023 at Aurora Medical Center, Mt Pleasant, surrounded by his family.
Don was born in Burlington on Dec. 9, 1958, to Marilyn LaManna and Donald Guzzetta Sr. He spent his childhood in the Burlington/Lyons area, graduating from Burlington High School in 1977. On May 22, 1982, he was united in marriage to Carol Wojnarowski at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Burlington.
Don held numerous maintenance positions before settling in with the Aurora Medical Center in Burlington, starting as a maintenance engineer, and moving up to facilities director. He then spent the last 15 years of his career working as the facilities director for The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, a job he loved like no other.
Don could fix anything. He owned a tool for everything, “just in case”. There were countless trips to Menards, Harbor Freight, and Amazon deliveries, to support his “tool” habit. The last seven years of Don’s life was spent as a tube feeder. While most people would give up, he rose above and beyond what he needed to succeed. He joined support groups, researched blending options, and reached out to fellow “tubies”. He blended everything from Thanksgiving dinner to his cinnamon coffee cake with a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. His attitude was amazing.
Don enjoyed golf, camping, and flea markets. But above all, he loved his family. His kids and grandkids were everything to him. To say he will be missed, doesn’t even come close to what it really means.
He was a better person than most of us will ever be.
Don is survived by his wife, Carol; daughter, Kelsey (Brett) Roberts; son, Travis Guzzetta; grandchildren, Parker, Nelly, Cove, Rowen and Cooper; mother Marilyn LaManna (Sidney Brossard); sisters, Sherry (Jim) Vanderwerff, Terry (Rick) Beversdorf; brothers, Tony Guzzetta (Cynthia Cordell), Joseph (Heather) Schaefer Jr.; brother-in-law, Jim (Carol) Wojnarowski; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Guzzetta Sr; stepfather, Joe Schaefer Sr; father and mother in-law, Roman and Evelyn Wojnarowski; grandparents, Joe and Flora Guzzetta, and Everett and Elnora Hegemann.
Memorial contributions have been suggested to the Oley Foundation, a non-profit tube feeding advocacy group.
Prayer Service for Don will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home. Relatives and friends can visit with the family on Friday, May 12 at the funeral home from 4 p.m. until the time of service at 7:30 p.m. A private burial will take place at St. Alphonsus Parish Cemetery.
Well-wishers may visit www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com.
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