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Donald "Don" D. Lada
Born: 10/14/1937
Died: 4/9/2025
Age: 87
Community: Davison, MI
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Donald “Don” Dorr Lada, age 87, a licensed funeral director for over sixty years and former owner of Brown Funeral Home died on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Grand Blanc, Michigan surrounded by his family. He was united in marriage to Delores “Dee” (Youker) Lada on April 9, 1960 and were married 65 years to the day.
Born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Joseph and Eva (Clark) Lada, on October 14, 1937. His family’s proud Bohemian heritage dates back to 1854 when his great-great grandparents were the first settlers in Grand Traverse County. He resided in Traverse City as a young adult and has lived in the Flint area for over 60 years.
Don attended Traverse City Public Schools and graduated from Traverse City Central High School in 1955. He graduated from Northwestern Michigan College and then graduated from Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago.
A lifetime of caring for families, and their deceased loved ones, with compassion and dignity was his life’s devotion. He began his career in Traverse City as a licensed funeral director with the Hibbard Funeral Home and later worked at the Martinson Funeral Home. In 1971 he joined the Brown Funeral Home in Flint, Michigan. In 1988 the firm joined Service Corporation International and the Dignity Memorial network, which is the world’s largest publicly-owned funeral service company, headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Don has represented his profession and provided compassionate service to all he served, as a funeral director. He looked outward for ways to help others. He used his profession and personal experience to bring community service into his place of work. A tireless dedicated leader and volunteer for many local, regional and national causes. Countless organizations have benefited from Don’s insight, commitment and boundless energy. He has been recognized and honored, not only by his profession, community, and veterans, but also by state, county and city government organizations. He has been interviewed by CNN news, featured in various area newspapers as well as Television Stations. A photo of him was distributed by the Associated Press and there was even an outdoor mural painting of him in Flint. His caring spirit and passion for others led him to be a community leader in volunteering and actively participating in organizations and groups that advocate for better education, health, safety and social well-being for people of all ages. Don’s involvement included endeavors focused on the whole community, not just one neighborhood or area. The groups and committees he served on were diverse and encompassed the concern of all people of all ages, from infants to senior adults.
Some of the various boards, organizations and committees he has served on include First Presbyterian Church, Eastside Business Association, Avalon Hospice, Great Lakes National Cemetery Advisory Council, The Salvation Army Advisory Council, Flint Rotary Club, Genesee County Child Death Review, Genesee County Emergency Management Team, Education Foundation for Flint Community Schools, Youth Projects Citizens Advisory Board, Flint Classroom Support Fund, Flint Neighborhood Improvement and Preservation Project, Latinx Technology and Community Center, IMA Recreation Association, Friends of McFarlan Park, Advance Care Planning Task Force of Greater Flint Health Coalition, Ele’s Place and former Flint Journal Editorial Board Readers Representative.
He has been the recipient of the Salvation Army Hands of Mercy and the Jack Hamady Humanitarian Awards, Flint Journal Newspaper Community Advocacy Award, UAW 1-C Veterans Association Life Achievement Award, Keys to the City of Flint, Key to the City of Burton, Genesee County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award, Associate Member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Associate Member of the Marine Corps League, Flint Senior Citizen of the Year Award, Friend of Crossover Award-Downtown Outreach Ministries, City of Flint Volunteer of the Year Award, Youth Projects Roast and Toast Award, Donald Reigle Community Service Annual Award, The Tall Pine Council Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizens Award, The Education Foundation for the Flint Community Schools Light a Candle Award and Argus Award – Consortium on Child Abuse and Neglect.
He was a certified presenter of the nationally recognized child abduction prevention Escape School program presented to over thirty thousand children.
Even as a non-veteran, though very patriotic, he was involved in area veterans events and affairs. He participated in talking to students in the classroom, providing several yearly veterans displays, participating in military recognition ceremonies, co-chaired the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Traveling Wall venue three times at Bluebell Beach, co-chaired the placement of a permanent veteran’s marker at Bluebell Beach and organized a Korean War Memorial Service for our veterans.
Among his activities, Don assembled a 1917 Model T Ford Speedster from genuine Ford parts. He also served as a high school basketball official. His favorite fast food was Taco Bell. He was very proud of each and every one of his grandchildren. One of his greatest pleasures was visiting and joking around with them. He traveled many miles to attend their sporting events.
In addition to his wife “Dee”, Don is survived by: Son, Douglas Dorr Lada and his wife Sandra, Daughter, Debra Dee (Lada) Vander Weide and her husband Jeffrey; Nine grandchildren-Joshua Lada and his wife Cailyn, Chaszten Lada, Dylan Lada, Shae Lada, Ross Vander Weide, Kelsey Vander Weide, Caitlin (Vander Weide) Zervas and her husband Brandon, Zachary Vander Weide and his wife Dayna, and Jed Vander Weide; four great grandchildren- Wesley Zervas, Kyzer Vander Weide, Reign Lada and Eloise Zervas. Also survived by his three sisters, Donna (Lada) Coglianese (Don’s twin sister), Loretta (Lada) Ludka and husband Larry, Karyl (Lada) Kroupa and husband Tom; Many nieces, nephews and other relatives, and brother and sister in law Terry and Elizabeth (Youker) Morrison. Don was preceded in death by: his parents Joseph and Eva (Clark) Lada, Raymond Nave, brother Joseph Lada, sister in law Jean (Lewis) Lada, brother in law Frank Coglianese , brother in law Anthony Coglianese and sister Marlene Coglianese.
The family will receive friends Monday, April 14, 2025, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Brown Funeral home, 1480 E. Hill Road in Grand Blanc.
The funeral service will be held Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Flint, 746 S. Saginaw Street in Flint. Rev. Dr. Joseph Novak and Rev. Dr. Paul Ytterock officiating. Visitation at the church from 10 a.m. until time of service.
Interment Wednesday, April 16, 1 p.m. at Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, Crossover Outreach Ministries or Great Lakes National Cemetery. |
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| Visitation |
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4/14/2025 |
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2:00 PM |
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| Funeral Service |
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4/15/2025 |
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11:00 AM |
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| Location: |
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First Presbyterian Church
746 S. Saginaw Street
Flint, MI 48502Get a Map to this location...
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