- Born on: July 30, 1944
- Departed on: June 28, 2023
- Resided in: Dubuque, IA
Donald Eugene Perardi
I just found out about Don's passing. I worked with him around 1977 when I was a college intern and he worked at the DuPage County (Illinois) Juvenile Probation Department, Family Diversion Program. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
I am so blessed to have had an uncle like Don. He was fun, had a great sense of humor, and above all, was loving and caring. I always felt at peace and care free around him. He loved telling stories and because they involved him, they were always interesting. He also knew how to make us laugh and make my mom (his sister) roll her eyes but end up laughing too. He is going to be missed but I am so grateful for the impact he had on all of us.
I will miss Uncle Don. My earliest memories are of him always playing fun and creative games with my brother and me when we would visit. I also remember him trying to cheat at Uno and getting called out on it by us children! I always found it funny how my mom was much more reserved and he was more free spirited, but they complimented one another and had a close bond. I know that he and mom are together in heaven, probably reminiscing on their many memories together, especially from the farm. Rest in peace now Uncle Don.
Don, you were my best friend and the love of my life. But you didn’t want to get married, so I left you to marry another. For 17 years we continued to talk on the phone. There was always so much to tell you, and you were always interested in everything. I think that’s why you were so loved, because everyone was important to you, especially Kate and Matt. I saw this quote: “Grief is just love that has no place to go.” You are in heaven now, with no pain. God bless us, every one.
The first time I met Don I knew that we were going to get along just fine. He was the brother I always wanted. There was never any doubt that when the two of us got together something was going to happen, not always good. We always kidded around that neither of us, especially together ever did anything illegal, irresponsible, or immoral. Of course my late wife Linda and Rhonda and Racine would definitely disagree with that. Don was one of the most "in the moment" people I have ever met in my life. He marched to the beat of a different drum. I only wish we had lived closer so we could have seen more of each other. He was a special part of my life and I will miss him terribly. God rest his Soul.
Don and I - and about 80 others - were Group IX Peace Corps Volunteers in Liberia, West Africa, 1966-1968. We had 3 months of intense training, first in San Francisco and subsequently in Key West, where we did our student teaching. The experience forged a bond among all of us that persists to this day. Once we arrived in Liberia, we were scattered throughout the country in various towns and villages; we rarely saw any of our groupmates. Don did visit me during our first year in Liberia. I traveled with him when he headed back to his site. As there was no road into my town at that time, we had to take a diesel-powered launch (think African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart & Katherine Hepburn) across a bay and then walk, walk, walk - even spending a night in the house of a town chief. We finally reached a place where there were taxis available for riding maybe 50 dusty miles into the capital city Monrovia. These taxis were typically small Renault sedans that were built to accommodate one passenger in the front and two in the back. But taxi drivers preferred to take 6(!) passengers, two up front and FOUR in the back, all sitting on one hip. That's when I discovered that Don was claustrophobic! Whenever the car stopped to let a passenger out, Dom jumped out also, to run around and hyperventilate. I really liked Don and admired his athletic skills and quiet ways. On several occasions when confronted with a dilema, I would ask myself, "How would Don Perardi handle this?" He was an exemplar to many of us. I think we are better for having known Don.
