Donald "Don" Green of Spring Hill, KS, passed away at Olathe Medical Center on December 27, 2022. A visitation will be held at Bruce Funeral Home in Spring Hill on Monday, January 2, from 4-7 p.m. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3, at Life Spring Church in Spring Hill. Memorial contributions may be made to Tunnel to Towers T2T.org or Spring Hill Food Pantry.

Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com. Arrangements: Bruce Funeral Home, 712 S. Webster, Spring Hill, KS 66083 (913) 592-2244.

Don was born in Kansas City, MO, on March 7, 1942. He spent several years of his childhood in California before moving to Spring Hill with his family at the start of high school. In Don's own words, the best thing that ever happened to him came shortly after when he was 14 and met fellow high schooler Mary Hiatt. He fell for her immediately, and with a little help from Elvis crooning "Love Me Tender," she fell right back.

The pair married on August 14, 1959, and set up their home in Spring Hill. They soon welcomed the first of their three children, Lesia. Sharon came next and was followed by Larry (who sadly passed away as an infant). Don once described their early time as parents as "staggering, fun and scary all rolled into one." He wondered if two people as young as he and Mary could really handle all of this responsibility, and the answer was a resounding yes.

Don worked hard to provide for his family, putting in shifts on the battery production line at Delco while also subbing as a rural letter carrier at the Spring Hill Post Office. He eventually started as a full-time letter carrier in 1973 and enjoyed delivering mail to the Spring Hill residents on Route 2 all the way until January of 2003 when he went out for his last route — in the back of a limousine.

Despite dealing with the grief and hardship from losing a child at such a tender age, Don always seemed to have a positive attitude; he was always ready with a quick joke or a smile, happy to help others around him in need, and was steadfast in his role as patriarch of the family. He enjoyed being involved in his community and taught Sunday school for both children and adults for years at the Spring Hill Baptist Church and later on at LifeSpring Church.

Mary was the true love of his life, but he loved his kids, five grandkids, and twelve great-grandkids unwaveringly as well. "Papa Don" was a constant presence and support in their lives and loved spending time with them. He loved traveling with his family and took the grandkids on road trips nearly every summer. Family gatherings were often infused with his and Mary's playful spirits.

Don liked to golf and hunt with his friends and didn't mind re-telling the stories of his two holes-in-one. And he LOVED the Royals. He and Mary were named Spring Hill Citizens of the Year in 1999 and he got to throw out the first pitch at the K while she tried to catch it (she didn't). He was also the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat winner years later for his work helping people in his community. He took multiple trips to the Royals' spring training camp in Arizona and made it to 26 of the 30 MLB ballparks on various trips with friends and family.

Don will be greatly missed by his family as well as his dear friends — including the Coffee Mates, his group of neighbors who would gather at his home every morning.

He was preceded in death by his beloved Mary, daughter Lesia and son Larry among others.

He is survived by daughter Sharon and husband Tim Meek, son-in-law Keith Stiles; grandchildren Jennifer, Ryan, Bradley, Kendra and Rachel; twelve great grandchildren; and many other beloved family members.