Donald Dean Saxton Jr.

Donald Dean Saxton Jr., a Washington attorney for 45 years, died Thursday, October 3, 2024, in St. Clair Memorial Hospital in Mt. Lebanon. He was 81. Born October 5, 1942, in Alliance, Ohio, Don was the eldest child of Donald Dean Saxton Sr. and Barbara Morey. Don grew up in Cadiz, Ohio, and then Bridgeport, W.Va. He graduated in 1960 from Linsly Military Institute before earning a bachelor's degree from Salem College in 1964, and finally earning his Juris Doctorate from West Virginia University's College of Law in 1968. From 1968 until 2022, Don devoted his life to the law. He started in Legal Aid in Charleston, W.Va., and moved to Pittsburgh in 1969. He then had a series of positions as a corporate lawyer in the 1970s, including the Allegheny Housing and Rehabilitation Corporation, The Rouse Company, and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. In 1977, he opened his private practice in Washington. Don became known for his understanding of natural resources law and leases and focused much of his practice in that area. In the late 2000s, he represented many landowners in Washington and Greene counties after the discovery of the Marcellus Shale gas reservoir. He also started Lagonda Oil Company with a geologist in the early 1980s and re-opened several wells in Washington County. In 1986, Don was elected Washington County Republican Chairman, and in 1991, he was named Juvenile Master of Washington County. He maintained an interest in politics throughout his life. He was a member of several community and legal organizations. Don also was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland, several state and federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1979, Don and his wife purchased a Greek Revival farmhouse near Washington and then spent the next 15 years restoring it. He loved to work outside and hand-built many stone walls and terrace gardens around his property. Don also collected antiques and art, loved classical music, and enjoyed wine. On September 2, 1972, he married Nancy Ponsetto, who died May 31, 2024. Surviving are two sons, Matthew, of Pittsburgh, and John, of Covington, Ky.; a granddaughter, Sophie Saxton, of Washington; a brother, Roger, of Cammeray, Australia; a sister, Barbara Saxton, of Akron, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.