Donald Choate
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Don Choate, 88, a gentle man, friend, artist, humanitarian, singer and lover of life, made his journey on October 9th at home, surrounded by the love of his family. Don delivered ice when he was a young man growing up in Greenville, Michigan, it was before television, when families sat around and listened to the radio in the evenings. He lived to be part of the accelerated life of the 21st century. It was a long and good life.
Don was born on May 24th 1920 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Kate Alden and Fred Choate. He grew up with four siblings, Bob, Helen, Kay, and Barbara and attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After graduating he moved to New York City, where he met Jane Pitman at the Art Students League. They married and raised 3 children, Lenore, David and Rebecca, in rural New Jersey.
He worked as a greeting card designer and hand letterer at Norcross cards in New York City and later became a freelance designer. In 1968 Don and Jane divorced and in the seventies he traveled around the country, eventually settling in Columbia.
For many years he worked in Columbia as a fine woodworker, making custom furniture and sculpture.
Later Don worked at the Mid Missouri Food Pantry. He was kind and non-judgmental, touched the lives of many and always found the time to listen. He began drawing portraits of some of the people who passed through the Pantry because he saw so much of life reflected in their faces. Don has always been politically and environmentally active, working to make the world a better place.
We will miss him more than words can describe and he will be forever alive in our hearts and memories.
Don is survived by his ex-wife, Jane and her husband, Al; his daughter, Lenore and her husband, Avery; son, David; daughter, Rebecca and her husband, Pedro; his grandchildren, Jason, Sofia, Atlante and Alban; and great grandchildren, Carey and Andrew.
The family invites friends to celebrate Don’s life with a retrospective showing of his artwork on Sunday, November 2 from 2 PM to 5 PM at the Alleyway Arts studio on Broadway Alley, parallel to Walnut and Broadway between 10th and Short Streets, behind K-Lani Hair Salon.
In lieu of flowers a moneteary donation may be sent to the Central Missouri Food Bank Pantry, 2101 Vandiver, Columbia, MO 65202 (Don Choate Memorial Donation) 874-7848.
Visits: 13
As I shared your joys I share your sorrow equally.
With love,
Chad Dietz
Don was truly a gentle man, a light spirit in this world. I always enjoyed working and socializing with Don at the food coop (the Columbia Community Grocery) where he was an active member and inspiring friend. Don truly “walked his talk”. He put his actions where his heart lay, whether in his daily interpersonal interactions or in his more structured work with the food pantry and other institutions in Columbia. Don was feisty, firey, imaginative, fun, and committed to his community. He lit a candle that will shine as a beacon for all of us who had the great fortune to know him. Don, we will miss you!
Don was my mentor and very special friend. His kindness and gentle ways made him a man above many. He had so many talents, too many to mention, but his greatest was LOVE. He knew how to love with honesty and hope. I will miss him with all my heart but I carry a bag of treasured memories that because of him are filled with grace. I will always love him beyond words. My prayers and respect go out to his family. God Bless you. love, Terrill
I am so sorry for your loss. My heart is with you Rebecca, Lenore and David. Don will always remain the talented, gentle person who is loved by so many. My thoughts are with you. With love…
Aloha Rebecca, Lenore and Don’s Family,
What a beautiful guy! His life was his art, his creating, be it enjoying friends or building a piece of furniture was all about appreciation.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Jeanie Cluff
What I learned from Don over the past 15 years was just this: l
Let us each care about our life ant that means caring deeply about the lives of others.
Don taught us all many things. He had a special way he pronounced the word “wood”. “Larry, why didn’t you make that out of wood?” he’d ask me, and the word resonated a deep connection with the natural substance. Don gave me a wood chisel one time. He said “You can only have this wood chisel if you’ll keep it sharp, and never use it to cut off nails.” I pulled the old chisel out of the drawer this morning, and noticed there was a little nick in one corner. I sharpened it until the nick was gone and it would shave the back of my hand again, like it always did.
Don was and is one of my very favorite human beings. Whenever I saw him I would try to make him laugh. He had such a warm, deep, wonderful laugh and a twinkle in his eye. I will sure miss him.
Don was the kindest, most creative and inspiring man I have ever had the pleasure to know. He will be greatly missed on this planet. My thoughts and prayers are with you Rebecca and family!
Rebecca, Lenore and David – I’m so sad for your loss. Rebecca, I remember your dad coming to see us at Chinatown and I’m so glad I got to see him at your recent teaching class at Mizzou. Our families thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love, Molly
My sincere condolences to Jane, Lenore, David, Rebecca and all those Don touched with his life. Don was a true gentleman and a gifted soul. I remember him best as someone who spoke gently but whose words carried great weight … Don was not one to idly flap his gums just to hear himself talk. Don was a straight speaker … and perhaps an even better listener. He was gifted; and thank the Great Maker he shared his gifts generously. I’ll miss him.
“Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone beyond beyond; hail the goer!”
Don will be missed and it needs to be said that this world is a richer place having had Don gift his talents in so many places and to so many beings through the art of hands, his music and his words. Our lives have been made richer through his love, his friendship and his children. Personally, I will never forget his eyes when he laughed and the sound of his voice when he spoke. Such a light, such a presence, what a dear sweet man and mentor. Our hearts are with him on his journey. Peace be with you my friend.
So very sorry to hear of Don’s passing–I know he will be deeply missed by his family as well as by his many, many friends in the local community and beyond. What a role model he was for all who knew him! He had the gifts of creativity, gentleness, and genius balanced by humility and common sense. He refined the art of living simply but well. (He could also make a mean veggie chili, as I recall!)
I feel lucky to have known him, however briefly. Wishing peace and lasting warm memories to his family and friends.
Querida Rebeca, Querido Pedro:
Siento mucho este fallecimiento. Me gustarĂa mucho poder escribir esto en inglĂ©s, pero me temo que no me iba a salir muy bien, y sobretodo no iba a poder expresar bien mis sentimientos. Simplemente os quisiera decir que me gustarĂa estar a vuestro lado para acompañaros en esto momentos, pero ya que fĂsicamente no puede ser quiero mandaros desde aquĂ un fuerte abrazo, especialmente a tĂ Rebeca, y me gustarĂa que esto sirviera para mitigar un poco la tristeza de estos momentos.
Todo nuestro cariño para nuestros queridos amigos Rebecca y Pedro, en memoria de papa Don.
Dear Family,Rebecca & Pedro,
When My son Jerred was about 4 years old we would go to the food bank. Jerred & I called your dad Mr. Don. One time when we visited the food pantry he asked if he could take a photo of my son. Your dad said my son had such a beautiful smile that he wanted to draw his portrait. I said okay. Well the next time I came back your dad presented me with the most beautiful drawing of my son. Your dad was so kind & warm to us. My family and I are praying for you and your family and for your dad Mr. Don.
My sympathies to the family; I knew Don only briefly…he used to be a mall walker and I loved his face so one day I approached him and asked if I could take some photos of him and of course, he was very obliging so a time was set up for me to visit him at his home. My young 10 year old son went with me and I urged him to take some photos as well; the only photo I kept of Mr. Choate was one of my son taking a photo of Mr. Choate; the others I gave to Don. I loved his talent and his activism and it is my loss that I did not connect with him beyond that one photography episode; I seldom saw him as my life changed after that and was sad to learn of his passing. he was an amazing person and one the community will miss. A silent unsung hero with amazing talents and abilities….
In 1970 Don convinced his ex wife Jane to let a ragtag bunch of musicians move into a small barn on their property in rural N.J. to form a band and rehearse. They also wound up living there with no water or electricity for a short time until the locals got up in arms about the dirty hippies staying there. Don then invited them to stay for a spell in a converted chicken house he was living in at the time till they found a home of their own in the Pocono Mountains. Thank you for all the loved you showed us .