Donald G. Engel

Donald G. Engel Athol – Donald G. Engel, 93, of 188 Highland Avenue, died Saturday, February 02, 2013, at the Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol.      Don was born in Athol, Massachusetts, August 11, 1919, the son of George G. and Gladys (Gorton) Engel. He lived all of his life in Athol, graduating from Athol High School in 1937 and, a year later, from Worcester Trade School, where he earned his Journeyman and Master Plumber licenses.          Don worked with his father in the family business, George G. Engel Plumbing and Heating, for many years. In 1950, he and his brother David took over the business, renamed Engel Plumbing and Heating Company, and shared proprietorship until 1980, when Don became sole owner. He took particular pride in his work mentoring more than twenty journeymen plumbers who apprenticed with him to earn their state licenses. He retired in 1990 and closed the family business.      Don was a member of the Massachusetts State Association of Master Plumbers, and the Northern Worcester County Master Plumber and Heating Contractors Association. He was deeply invested in his community, which he served through his participation in many local organizations, including: the Athol-Orange Rotary Club, as a member and past President and a 1984 recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow award; the Athol Credit Union, as a long-time member of the Board of Directors; the Athol Area Y.M.C.A., as a 40-plus years member of the Board of Directors; the Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee, as member and chairman and also served on the Building Committee for the new Regional high school.     He served for many years as chairman of the Civil Defense Board and on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Athol.  As chairman of the Athol Zoning Board, he was the driving force to establish zoning for the town. In addition, Don was a long-time member of the North Quabbin Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons (formerly Star-Athol Lodge) and the Melha Shrine; the Athol Historical Society; the Swift River Valley Historical Society; the Athol-Orange Aero Club, and the Sportsman’s Pond Association.      Don was also a member of the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Athol, and a member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Mass.      Don was very active in aircraft flying, teaching and building.  He received his private pilot’s license at the Turners Falls Airport in Montague, MA in 1942.  During World War II, he achieved instructor’s rating and, serving with the War Training Service, taught dozens of Navy cadets how to fly.        Don and his wife, Winifred, loved spending time with their family and in later years, they traveled coast-to-coast visiting their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Following their retirement, they spent many winters in Dade City, Florida. They recently sold the plumbing shop site to the Town of Athol to support the proposed library expansion.      Don is survived by four generations of family who will miss him dearly: two sons; Mark D. Engel and his wife Sandra of Campbell, CA and Paul D. Engel and his wife Deborah of Amherst, MA; a daughter, Karen D. Sykes and her husband Ronald of West Chester, PA; six grandchildren, Matthew McKinzie and his wife Esther, Jason Engel and his wife Jill, Dana McKinnnon and her husband David, Cynthia McKinzie, Dean Engel and his wife Tina, and Gregory Engel; as well as seven great grandchildren: Marshall, Noah, Branden, Madison, Tyler, Dean Donald, and Sarah Winifred.  He also leaves a sister, Doris Cline of Henderson, NV.      Don was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Winifred I. (Daniels) Engel who died in 2011; his daughter, Renee Lynn Bowen, who died in 2003; two brothers, David and George Engel, Jr., and his sister, Constance Pedersen.            Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. at Higgins-O’Connor Funeral Home, 146 Main Street, Athol with the Rev. Mark D. Bariloni, pastor of the Athol-Orange Baptist Church officiating.  There will be calling hours from 12:30 to 2:00 P.M. and a private burial will be held in the spring at Silver Lake Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donation in Don’s memory be made to the Athol High School Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 338, Athol, MA 01331.  For further information or to share a memory with the family go to:  www.higginsoconnorfuneralhome.com. $(document).ready(function(){ });