Don Horsley

Alfred Donald “Don” Horsley, Jr., 60, of Marion, died Saturday, July 8, 2017 at Marion General hospital where he was surrounded by loved ones. He had battled cancer for much of 2017.



Don was born June 27, 1957 in Bucyrus and though he didn’t graduate on schedule, he was proud to have completed his GED along with his sister. Don was a very creative individual. He had the ability to recycle old pieces of furniture into custom creations and he was extremely gifted with upholstery work. While working at Baja, Don met Sheila Hedrick and it was love at first sight. It did take Don a few years to convince Sheila they should get married and on June 15, 1991, they did and have experienced countless wonderful memories together.



Don’s strong work ethic made him a valued employee at Whirlpool in Marion where he had been with the company for the past 17 years. He collected eagles, flags, ceramic Indian figures and Christmas train sets as he loved to decorate for Christmas but what gave him his greatest joy was spending time with family at their “kingdom.” This was the home he and Sheila purchased a few years back. They often enjoyed coffee on the deck while watching wildlife and many Saturdays during summer months were reserved for movie night down by their pond, where the entire family would gather for an entertaining evening. At one time, Don was a “city boy” but being married to Sheila, he soon learned the ways of country living. They owned all sorts of farm animals and with Sheila’s excellent cooking abilities, Don felt no reason to leave their home other than to work.



In addition to Sheila, the love of his life, Don is survived by his mom, Brenda Hill of Bucyrus; step-children, Eddie (Mary Elizabeth) Martin, Jr. and Joshua Martin; grandchildren, Jalon Brown, Jaren, Elijah, Wyatt, Alexis, Shay and Carter Martin and Jaxon Tate. Also surviving are his siblings, Peggy Claus, Danny (Carol) Horsley, Portia Liles, Keith Horsley and Chuck (Theresa Williams) Horsley; step-siblings, Jimmy (Melissa) Hill, Bobby (Diana) Hill and Dennis (Suzy) Hill as well as many nieces and nephews.



Don is preceded in death by his dad, Alfred Horsley, Sr.; step-dad, Jim Hill; brother, Brian “Titz” Horsley; father and mother-in-law, Ralph and Vivian Hedrick and his former father-in-law and close friend, Howard Stowe.



Don’s family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 11 at Wise Funeral Service, in Bucyrus, Ohio, where his funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday with Pastor Ray LaSalle officiating. The Horsley family will be available to visit with friends one hour prior to his funeral. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery.



Memorial contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society or to the American Heart Association through the funeral home.