Donald Harry Faes

Donald Faes Obituary

Donald Harry Faes, 79 of Riverwoods, Illinois passed away peacefully on May 25, 2023. Mr. Faes was born in Washington, Missouri on October 15, 1943, the son of the late Vernon August Faes and Jeanette Clara (Gardner) Faes. Don taught high school heath & physical education and coached basketball, volleyball and track in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois for over 30 years. Donald is survived by two children, Natalie Faes (Jose Diaz Aunon); Tabitha (Faes) Green (Matthew Green), two grandchildren, Adaline Green and Althea Green. His sister, Delores (Faes) Horstmann (Mike Horstmann), nephew, Mike Horstmann (Lisa Horstmann) and great nephew Andrew Horstmann and niece Christine (Horstmann) Huxel (Paul Huxel). A celebration of life memorial was held at B'Nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, Illinois on May 28, 2023.

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Published by Chicago Tribune on Jun. 2, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Faes

6 Entries

Don Kruse

June 3, 2023

Don Faes (No. 39 in the front row) in his sophomore year at St. George High School in Hermann, Mo. Rest in peace big man. We had some fun times.

Desiree

June 3, 2023

Don always knew how to liven up a room. Whether it was bingo or the sports column of the Warren Barr Gazette, you could always count on humor and serious sports knowledge. Don made friends with everybody, and he made sure to check in regularly to make sure we were all doing OK. It was always fun to sneak in contraband such as candy, fast food, and other commodities, even though Don was not supposed to eat them. We kind of made it our own internal system. Don´s cards and writings were prized possessions and brought a smile and zest to everyone´s day. He never missed a holiday or even just a regular day to add some things special.

Jona Brown

June 3, 2023

Wonderful uncle to have when you´re a kid and all you want to do is play games all day and night. Even when he "cheats" and you feel righteous outrage. The best way to play monopoly. Then ice cream to sooth the rage of defeat.

Don Kruse

June 3, 2023

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, there weren't many 7-footers around and they were heavily recruited at that time. I believe Don Faes also had an offer from Michigan State and St. Louis University before going to Iowa. Don lived two blocks from me and would come over to visit us on West 2nd Street. He had to duck to get through the door. He was never self-conscious of his height. He entered a dance contest in St. Louis put on by KXOK radio station and won the tall boy contest, which made him a celebrity. Don attended sock hops in Hermann while we were growing up. He liked to dance, and was a pretty out-going individual. But most of all, he, like the rest of us in the 1950s, played basketball. If we couldn't get into the gym, we played outside on the asphalt court at St. George Church. While Don was attending the University of Iowa, a few of the Hawkeyes basketball games were televised on a St. Louis TV station, which picked up some of the Big Ten games.

Don Kruse

June 3, 2023

Former teammate at St. George High School in Hermann, Mo., and longtime friend. Don Faes graduated in 1961, one year behind me. I have lots of stories to share. While I was a 6-foot guard, Don Faes was our center and was pushing 7 feet tall when he was a junior. That season in a game at Cuba (Mo.) High School, Don scored a school-record 50 points and I had my share of assists that night. Our opponent had a small lineup, and we kept feeding the ball to our center. Don and I talked about that many times. I also was invited by the Faes family to attend a St. Louis Hawks (NBA) basketball game when St. Louis University was recruiting their son in his junior year. Don Faes ended up going to the University of Iowa, then after two years there he transferred to the University of North Dakota where he was a teammate of Phil Jackson, who played for the Knicks and later coached the Chicago Bulls to multiple NBA titles.
Don Faes and many others boys in Hermann honed our basketball skills on the asphalt parking lot at St. George Church. The goals had chain nets and would become rusty and stiff after a rain. The ball would stick in the nets, and Don being 7 feet tall, would have to knock the ball out of the net. If he was not there on any given day, we would have to use a broom handle to pry the basketball loose.