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Donald Bowen Mudge

Donald Bowen Mudge passed from this life on Nov. 1, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y. Born in Jamestown, N.Y., on Dec. 5, 1937, to Francis and Dorothy (Porter) Mudge, Don grew up in Lakewood and graduated from Southwestern Central School in 1955.

Don served in the U.S. Navy from 1957-59, aboard USS The Sullivans. He took great pride in having been part of that ship’s legacy, and enjoyed revisiting the ship upon his return to Buffalo in 2017. In 1960 he met and married the love of his life, Nancy Ruth Norman, who predeceased him in August 2020. Don and Nancy moved to Buffalo for him to attend the State University of New York College at Buffalo, where he earned both a Bachelor (1965) and Master (1970) of Science in Education. Their daughter Michelle was born in 1962 and the family moved back to Jamestown in 1965 to be near family.

Don secured a position at Washington Junior High teaching Art, and a year later moved to Jamestown High School where he taught Art until his retirement in January 1995.

During his tenure at JHS he was the faculty advisor for the yearbook, designed and built scenery for the plays and musicals, and served as department chair. For many years, he, Mike Fitzpatrick, and Don Anderson shaped and led the Art department, as well as being fast friends and golf aficionados. The annual golf outing was a highlight for all of them.

Of course, Don loved art. Whether it was drawing, painting, photography, ceramics or any other creative endeavor, he enjoyed doing it and he excelled at it. Always a humble man, he was reluctant to sell his work, but there are a few cherished pieces among family and friends. But more than doing art, he loved teaching. A student didn’t need to have “artistic talent” — just a willingness to explore and engage the creative process. Generations of JHS students will recognize the picture of “Mr. Mudge” and remember his genuine care for them.

Another creative outlet for Don was carpentry and design. His first big project was building a chalet-style home at the top of the hill on Sager Road outside Sinclairville. Don had a love for cars and in his early adult years, worked on rebuilding sports cars. After some misadventures, he set that aside, but he continued to admire classic cars. He could name the make, model, and year of virtually any car from the earliest models through the 1970s. He appreciated their design and unique attributes.

Don and Nancy were active members of Hillcrest Baptist Church from 1974-1995, and were active in churches in Florida in following years.

Donald Mudge was a real renaissance man and probably the most decent and kind human being one could ever know. He is survived by daughter Michelle (Les), granddaughter Ashera (Romano), brother Richard (Ann), and sister Sandra (Dennis), as well as beloved friends and extended family. The family is not observing a service at this time. Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice Foundation of WNY, 225 Como Park Blvd, PO box 590, Buffalo, NY 14240-0590