Donald Bailey Tirrell

Formerly of Circleville, NY

Donald Bailey Tirrell, art director and scenic designer, died at Liberty Commons, Chatham, MA on All Saints Day, November 1, 2008.

Mr. Tirrell was born in Dorchester, Boston on March 22, 1930. He attended Vesper George Art School in Boston after graduating from Braintree High School.

As a student at Yale University in the art and drama department, he worked summers at the Monomoy Theatre in Chatham, MA.

His career started as a scenic designer for the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. He then moved to Columbia Pictures Screen Gems as the senior art director where he worked with many political figures and Hollywood stars for a 30-year period. From 1984-1989, he was an art director for Walt Disney Productions at Mary Tyler Moore Film Studio, Ardmore, Ireland.

A student of Jung psychology, he lectured at Trinity College on C.G. Jung and helped found the Jungian Center in Dublin, Ireland.

Don lived in NYC and at his beloved farm "Manna" in Circleville, NY for 50 years before moving to Chatham, MA in 2000.

Donald was Orange County Citizen of the year for his environmental efforts, a member of the United Scenic Artists Local 829, president of the Bloomingburg Restoration, member of the Bloomingburg Grange, set designer for theatre productions at the Orange County Community College, Middletown and Pine Bush High School, restoration designer for historic homes in NYC, Orange County, NY, Connecticut and restoration designer for the towns of Pine Bush and Middletown, NY.

Don was a talented artist and actor who loved jokes, limericks, and storytelling, but there was nothing he loved better than restoring an old house or designing a new house and gardens.

He will be sorely missed by his wife, Jane Ann Tirrell; stepchildren: Robert V. Knoblauch of Plymouth, MA, Peter Knoblauch and Lenior of Otisville, NY, Wendy Thompson and Ivan of Greencastle, PA, Kim Mapes and Bruce of Monroe, NY, Greta Knoblauch of Fresno CA, Kristina Hulse and Ramond of Hot Springs, SD, and granddaughters: Jamie Mapes, Julie Mapes, Pamela Thompson, and Amber Hulse.

Mr. Tirrell's memorial service will be held in Bloomingburg, NY on Saturday, November 29, 2008 at the Bloomingburg Restoration, Rt. 17 M, Bloomingburg, NY at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: "In Honor of Donald Bailey Tirrell" Friends of the Chatham Council on Aging, 193 Stoney Hill Road, Chatham, MA 02633, or the Orleans COA Day Center, 150 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans, MA 02653.