Donald Grant Varner Sr.

Donald G. Varner Sr., 94, died September 10, 2025 at his residence in Champion, Ohio, just four days short of his 95th birthday. He left instructions to make sure he got credit for those extra 361 days! An almost-lifelong resident of Champion, Don was born on September, 14, 1930 in Holliday's Cove, WV., (now Weirton) the son of the late Donald R. Varner and the late Viola M. Keep. Donald's parents moved to Trumbull County in the mid-1930's, eventually purchasing the farm in 1937 where Don, his brother Jack and sister Lois grew up. Don still lived in the family home at the time of his death. During his time spent as a student at the Champion Centralized School, Don specialized in social activities over academics, preferring to hone his skills as Class Clown over more prosaic pursuits such as mathematics and grammar. Examples of extracurricular activities that he participated in included taking a dare to try out as a cheerleader. He won the bet, but "lost" when he was forced by the faculty to actually serve as a cheerleader for a season. Another time, he lit fire to a cow-pie in a bag, placing it on the porch of an unpopular teacher and the ringing the door bell just before he ran away. There was also an incident where a vehicle ended up fully reassembled on the roof of the school. Don was alleged to have been part of the group of kids responsible for that too. Unfortunately for him, he was better at coming up with pranks than he was getting away with them. He was well acquainted with the pictures hanging on the school office wall, as well as the sound - and feel, of Superintendent Carl C. Kiser's paddle. Probably to the surprise of many of his classmates and teachers, he still managed to graduate with the Champion Class of 1950. Don married and later divorced, eventually returning to the Champion homestead in the 1970's. The property, christened "Pleasant View Farm" prior to his parents purchasing it, remained so named until Donald and his sister Lois sold the bulk of the land to Champion Township in 2004. Subsequently, the new Champion elementary and middle schools were built on a portion of the former farm. The proposed Champion Park will be located on the balance of the land formerly owned by the Varner family. Nomadic in vocation, Don sampled many different career paths throughout his life. He enlisted in the Navy after high school, and served on board the USS Monongahela (TAO-42) during the Korean War. He was always proud of his military service and was a lifetime member of VFW 1090. He served as the Reunion Organizer for his former shipmates, holding reunions in different parts of the country in the 2000's. He also did stints as an insurance salesman, butcher, restaurant owner, bricklayer, farmer, milkman at Sanitary Dairy and a factory worker at Packard Electric on Dana Street in Warren. His last paid gig was working as a custodian for Howland Schools, where he retired from in 1990. To the best our knowledge, he did not light any cow-pies on fire or serve as a cheerleader while working in Howland. Don loved to cook and feed his family. Favorites include such low calorie, low fat fare like his "famous" beef tips and noodles, biscuits and gravy and - who could forget, "SOS" inspired from his Navy days. He had many hobbies, including antique toy collecting and watching birds in the feeders outside his window, but his love for tinkering on old Ford N-Series tractors was his favorite pastime. Don was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jack and his sister Lois Burford. He is survived by his sons, Donald G. (Lisa) Varner Jr. and James E. Varner, of Champion, as well as daughters Jennifer D. Henderson of Champion and Andrea L. Villasenor of Bazetta, Ohio and stepdaughter Crystal Green of Orangeburg, SC. He is also survived by grandchildren Donald G. Varner III of Gilbert, Arizona, Tara (Michael) Magnan of Tracy, California, Nichole Henderson and Michael B. Goodman of Champion. His great-grandchildren include Natalia Henderson, Daniel Sledge, Isaiah and Scarlett Magnan. Friends may call from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at the Carl W. Hall Funeral Home. Private interment will be in Champion Township Cemetery, Champion, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, material contributions may be made to a local animal shelter or organization of your choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Carl W. Hall Funeral Home.