Donald Lee "Don" Urich

May 4, 1938 - April 4, 2025

Donald Lee "Don" Urich, age 86, a U.S. Army veteran from 1962 to 1964 and a longtime resident of Fontana, Wis., since 1972, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 4, 2025, at his residence surrounded by family. He was born on May 4, 1938, in Chicago, Ill., a son of Frank and Margaret Urich.

He was a beloved husband of Kathy Urich, 1939 to the present; loving father of Scott Urich, Cindy (Chris) Carlson and Keith (Kolleen) Urich; adored grandfather of Mitchell (Ayla) Urich, Richard (Jayden) Urich, Ryan Urich, Lily Carlson, Mackenzie Urich, Payton Urich; and friend of many.

Don went to Niles Township High school where he wrestled and played football. He competed against Mike and Palmer Pyle, who went to neighboring New Trier Township High School. In 2019, Mike Pyle was selected as one of the top 100 Bears of all time.

After high school, Don attended Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill. There he studied business education and continued his career in football. He played defensive end for Illinois College from 1957 to 1961. That is also where he met the love of his life, Kathy Scott. Don graduated with a bachelor's of science degree in May of 1961.

Don and Kathy were married on August 5, 1961. Don tried to get a job after graduation, but no one would hire him because he was scheduled to be drafted into the military. So, he enlisted in the U.S. Army for three years.

While in the Army, he was stationed at a Nike missile base in Wilmington, Ohio. He was assigned to the personnel department where they had recently put all of their records on computer. He became familiar with the punch card system of record keeping, which turned out to be important when he returned to civilian life.

His first job was in customer service at Standard Oil company. While he was riding the bus to work one day, he struck up a conversation with an older man who asked him what he did for a living. Don told him about his job at Standard Oil. The man said he was looking for someone that had computer experience. Don explained he used a punch card computer system in the Army. That conversation started Don's 30+ year career at CNA Insurance.

Don and his family always had a strong connection to Geneva Lake. His dad Frank was born in a house on the lake in Williams Bay in 1905. His mother and father met as they had summer homes next door to each other on the lake. Several generations of his family had summer homes throughout the late 19th and early 20th century.

He too dreamed of one day having a place at the lake. After a freak accident on a work trip where Don lost the sight in his left eye, he decided to follow his dreams. Don bought a condo in Abbey Springs in Fontana and a boat one year later. There was not a weekend or vacation that went by that he didn't spend at the lake. Don was incredibly generous with his new-found joy, and there was rarely a time that he wasn't hosting friends and family, boating and sailing on Geneva Lake. In 1976, Don designed and built a house and his family moved to Abbey Springs full time.

Don was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when he was in his early 60s. He and Kathy decided to travel around the country to visit all the places they had dreamed about before the disease made Don immobile. They traveled the country by car for ten years. They both loved the west with the mountains and wide open spaces.

They rented the same condo in Fountain Hills, Ariz., for seven straight winters, using that as a launching point for their adventures. Yosemite, Yellow Stone, Glacier, Banff, Sedona, Palm Springs, Royal Gorge, and Durango were some of their favorite destinations. Don always said he felt better in the warm dry air of the west; it seemed to soothe his condition.

Don was considered an insurance processing expert. He was one of the few people that knew how all of the computer systems integrated that had been layered on top of each other over the years. He was also a skilled auditor with a keen attention to detail. He loved boating, sailing, water skiing and spending time with his family, extended family and friends, He was a member of the Fontana planning commission for several years, was always involved in educating young people, and attending and participating in many events for his children and grandchildren.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the timeisnowtohelp.org.

For more information, contact Toynton's Walworth Funeral Home at 262-275-2171.