Donald V. Way

Donald V. Way, of Boones Mill, Va., beloved husband of Mary E. (Garrett) Way, died peacefully in Rocky Mount, Va., on April 2, 2010, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 90 years old. Born in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on May 9, 1919, Don was the son of Glenn and Effie (Shippy) Way. After graduating from Niagara Falls Senior High School in 1937, Don earned a BS degree in Geology at Syracuse University in 1941. While there he met Glens Falls native and fellow undergraduate, Mary "Polly" Garrett, the love of his life, and they were married in June 1942. Six months after the Pearl Harbor attack that brought the United States into World War II, Don entered the Army, where his skills with a map led to his assignment to the 949th Engineer Company in the Twentieth Air Force under General Curtis Lemay. His unit, based on the island of Guam in the Southwest Pacific was assigned the task of preparing three-dimensional maps of the Japanese cities that were Lemay's targets. The devastating success of Lemay's B-29s ultimately brought the war to a quicker end while avoiding the need for an even more costly invasion of the Japanese mainland.
After the war, Don and Polly settled down in Glens Falls, where Don and his college roommate, Bill McDowell, started a frozen food delivery business. For several years he eked out a living driving through the back roads of the Adirondacks from the wee hours of the morning until after dark, in the process acquiring an appreciation for the region that he never lost.
As he and Polly started a family, he brought his marketing skills to Swanson's Frozen Foods, which later merged with the Campbell Soup Company. In the early 1950s, Don and Polly moved several times with their three children from Glens Falls to West Sand Lake, then Omaha, Toronto and Syracuse before settling down for 21 years in Wayne, Pa., while Don worked in the corporate headquarters in Camden, N.J.
A devoted father, he encouraged his two sons to enjoy the outdoors through the Boy Scouts, where they both eventually attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He also taught them how to use a camera, which has brought them both great satisfaction over the years. Meanwhile, Don helped foster his daughter's interest in the fine arts, which has been her lifelong passion.
Once the three children were grown, Don and Polly moved south to live near their daughter, Anne and husband, Steve Bernard, in Boones Mill, Va., retiring from Campbell Soup in 1981. For many years they enjoyed living on Smith Mountain Lake, where Don was able to pursue his hobbies of sailing, boating and golf while working in the pro shop at Waters Edge Country Club for seven years. In 1995 he helped found the non-denominational Christ Community Church of Penhook, Va., with his friend the Reverend Ed McClain, which flourishes today. In 1997 Don and Polly moved to Boones Mill to be near Anne and Steve, where they lived ever since.
In 1999, Don was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and he coped with it as best he could, reading, organizing family archives and walking his two sheltie dogs three times every day. With the dedicated and selfless support of Polly, Anne and Steve, he was able to enjoy his home, dogs and family for the next 11 years.
Don was predeceased by his brothers, Harold and Howard Way. Besides his wife, Mary, he is survived by his daughter, Anne Way Bernard and her husband, Steve Bernard, of Boones Mill, Va.; and his two sons, Dr. David Way, of Ithaca, N.Y., and Dr. Daniel Way and his wife, Dr. Harriet Busch, of Glens Falls, N.Y. He was also the proud grandfather of Andrew Way, of Red Hook, N.Y., and Dr. Emily Way, of Charleston, S.C.
The Way family would like to thank the staff of the Trinity Mission Health and Rehab of Rocky Mount, where Don lived the last few weeks of his life. They would also like to express their appreciation for Dr. Robert Strong, his primary care physician, who was not only his doctor for many years, but became a friend as well.
A memorial celebration of Don's life will be held 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2010, at the Boones Mill Christian Church, 7950 Grassy Hill Road.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Don's memory can be made to the Alzheimer's Association online at www.alz.org, or call 1-800-272-3900, or mailed to Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011. Arrangements by Flora Funeral & Cremation Service, Rocky Mount, Va., 540-483-3835.