On July 4, 2023, our kind, gentle, loving, silly, CREATIVE dad passed away after 93 years of living his best life. He was born, the son of Martha and Clarence Eccleston of Waterford, CT on October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed, and left us while the world celebrated with fireworks and family gatherings; he really knew how to pick important days to come into this world and leave it.

As a child, Don took drum lessons from a man who would become a mentor to him, and his drumming would eventually lead him to a brief military career in the United States Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps during the Korean War. Through his service, he made life-long friends and enduring memories, and would continue to attend reunions of the “dumb-and-bungle” corps, as he liked to joke.

Donald’s adventures started at a young age, when his yearning to see the world and leave small-town life behind put him on a Greyhound bus to California. We all loved to hear about his boundless and daring adventures, even though we had heard them a million times! They included a stint working as a messenger in Hollywood, delivering scripts, where he would have interesting interactions with the rich and famous. Some of the best stories were these: the time he was almost run over by Lucille Ball, who was driving a golf cart, and sitting in Dalton Trumbo’s office after delivering him a script. He tells of a time he dumped his Lambretta moter scooter right in the middle of Hollywood and Vine. Once he left Hollywood, he and his old Air Force buddy, Rusty Brotherton, drove to Eureka, CA to work in a lumber camp. Enroute to Eureka, they had a chance meeting with a quirky woman walking along the road, towing a “chest of drawers on wheels”. She was evidently walking around the world.

Don would eventually meet and marry our Mother, Susan H. Rolfe back in Hollywood, CA. They spent their early years in California, and eventually made their way back to Connecticut, where Dad earned his BA in Art Teaching at Hartford Art School, University of Hartford. He and our mom, settled in Oakdale, CT and started a family, eventually moving to a lake house in Old Lyme, CT. He started teaching art at New London High School, and eventually Waterford High School, where he taught until his retirement in 1993.

Donald Eccleston was one of those people that everybody loved. He was modest to a fault and completely unaware of the many lives that he impacted. This compassionate man leant his ear to many seeking comfort and encouragement. He has no doubt logged thousands of hours listening to the woeful laments of malcontent friends and students. Although, he had been retired from teaching for 33 years, he still maintained friendships with many of his former students. They would hug him in the mall and tell him that he changed their lives. He went to their weddings and housewarming parties and would meet them out for martinis and a good chat. Don was utterly and completely without unfair judgement, again, almost to a fault. He always jumped to the defense of the underdog, whether it was a turtle crossing the street, or a sports team that hadn’t won a game all season. Music was one of his passions, and although he loved the old Jazz standards, his old percussion soul glowed with the sweet sound of new found hip music. He could jam! He was a steadfast fan of slap-stick comedy which would often throw him into fits of snorting and wheezing laughter. His second passion, was art. He was a wildly talented, yet often self-effacing painter. Don’s paintings are fantastical and whimsical, and the titles often showed his love for a good pun. He consistently showed his support for his artist friends, and rarely missed an art opening. His favorite social activity was one of his own openings where he was always showered with praise and love from family, friends and former students.

Don’s first passion, however, was his love for his family. Quite literally, he was always there. This tender-hearted grandpa could not bear to be without seeing his six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Rarely did a day go by that he did not visit, or at least talk to his three children. He selflessly spent his life sacrificing for his family, even when he barely had anything for himself. His love was bountiful.

Don leaves behind his three children and their significant others: James and Barbara Duerr, Katy Larson, Tim Eccleston and his fiancé, Jennifer Serafin. His adoring six grandchildren: Brody, Payton and Kade Eccleston, Erik Larson, Jordan Duerr, Joshua Duerr and his wife, Jessica Tirko Duerr, and Don’s only great-grandchild, Oakley Don Duerr. He also leaves behind his ex-wife and biggest fan, Susan H. Rolfe and her husband, Richard Rolfe. Also, a special surrogate grand-daughter, Melida Bohm, who he loved like his own.

Because he loved being the center of attention at all of his art openings, we are hoping to do a retrospective of his work as part of a celebration of a life well lived. Arrangements will be forthcoming

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