Donald Charles Black (Don), 80, of Marana, AZ, passed away on March 02, 2023 after a post surgery stroke.  

Don was born on October 19th, 1942 to Charles and Pat Black in Wichita, Kansas.   He was the oldest of five children.     He attended Catholic schools until transferring to Southeast high school his sophomore year where he graduated in 1960.   He went on to study math at Wichita State University.  In his early adult years he continued to look out for his younger siblings, and was often there for them after leaving Wichita.   After finishing his college degree he began working for  NASA, at Edward's Air Force Base in California, in June 1965.  That was the start of a thirty-five year career in computer programming/science, supporting the space program.     

In 1967 he met his future wife, Charlyn Ingraham, and they wed in September of that year.   They went on to have two children,  Lauren and Aaron.    Don was a caring husband and father who was involved in his children's lives, coaching many of their recreational sports teams and supporting them in other various endeavors.    He was a man that approached things methodically, making it easy for him to attend to family finances and other business.  Not long after he retired at the age of fifty-seven,  he and Charlyn moved to Marana, Arizona.  There Don continued playing tennis, his life long sport of choice.  He became a board member for TRICO, an Arizona electric cooperative.    Don remained on the board for thirteen years.   He and Charlyn were travelers and visited fifty countries, usually accompanied by high school friend, Skip Nelson and his wife Darleene.   Don was a witty guy, and often teased others, which was typically enjoyed by everyone around him.   To say he will be missed by all that knew and loved him, is an understatement. 

Don was predeceased in death by his parents,  brother Tom Black, brother in-law Rob Bailey (Pat), sister in-law Helen Black (Tom), and his wife Charlyn.    He is survived by his significant other Cindy Morris, children Aaron Black and wife Cheryl, and daughter Lauren Black Morris, as well as sisters Pat Bailey and Sharon Monroe (Ward), grandchildren Savannah Morris, Landon Donahue-Black, Ethan Black, and Andrew Black.

A celebration of life will be in June of this year, with the exact date yet to be determined.   Donations may be made in his name to the charity of your choice.

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