Donald Camp Whelchel, 92, of Fort Mill, SC, Orlando, FL and Clemson, SC, passed away peacefully September 16, 2024 at his residence in Maitland, FL.

Don was born on March 13, 1932 at home in Midway community, Gaffney, SC. Don was one of 8 children born to Homer and Mary Whelchel. Don attended North Greenville Junior College prior to joining the United States Navy in 1951, where he was assigned to the USS Begor.

During the Korean War, the Begor served two tours. Don often bragged about “crossing the line”, a reference to those who cross the equator, a rite of passage for sailors. Those onboard who’ve already experienced the passage, called shellbacks, perform an elaborate initiation of those who hadn’t – the pollywogs.

After completing his service in the Navy, Don attended Clemson University, where he graduated with a degree in Mathematics in 1959. There is an old saying that Don loved, “A Clemson man needs no introduction”, and that certainly rang true. Don loved his time at Clemson, and enjoyed a job as a bellhop at The Clemson House hotel on campus, as well as summer jobs back home in Gaffney. Don’s years at Clemson were some of his happiest years, and he was always a die-hard Clemson Tiger football fan!

After graduating from Clemson, Don moved to Orlando, FL, where he looked forward to warm winters and year round sunshine. It was in Winter Garden, FL that Don met his first wife, Sandra (Sandee) Logsdon. Don and Sandee married in 1960 in Winter Garden, FL. Shortly thereafter, Don was one of a select few educators that became the founding faculty at the brand new Valencia College. Don was part of the Mathematics Department as well as the newly formed Interdisciplinary Studies department, which was groundbreaking at the time. Don was faculty advisor for the Golf and Baseball teams, and ran the clock for many of the basketball games at Valencia.

Don and Sandee were very active at Valencia as faculty (and wife) as well as in the Math Department specifically. Don and Sandee had two children, daughter Lisa and son Terry. Each summer, Don enjoyed taking the kids on cross country camping adventures, touring national parks, landmarks and most of the 50 states. These trips proved to be as consequential as the education the kids received in school. Don enjoyed the outdoors and delighted in teaching his kids about nature, animals, extraordinary vistas and places of interest. In 1980 Don married his second wife, Juanita.

He and Juanita enjoyed a happy and very active life. Juanita was a flight attendant, so they loved taking trips to Hawaii, Italy and Greece. Upon Don’s retirement from Valencia College in 1987, he and Juanita moved closer to home to the town of Fort Mill, SC. Don immediately started serving his community, having helped to establish the Fort Mill Care Center. At the time, the Care Center was in a small building next to St. John United Methodist Church. Don volunteered there faithfully, helping local residents get assistance with utility bills, pantry items, clothing and other important items that families in the community needed. Over the next 30 years, the Care Center grew larger, and now occupies a large building in Fort Mill. Don continued serving the town of Fort Mill and the St. John UMC community until 2019.

Don always told his family he enjoyed “30 years as a young person, 30 years in a career, and 30 golden years serving the community”….That is exactly how Don’s remarkable life turned out. In 2019 Don returned to Clemson, moving into the Clemson Downs retirement community. True to his spirit, Don faithfully served that community as well, enjoying more volunteering, philanthropy and jumping into his new life as a carefree independent “student”. At Clemson Downs he made new friends and left an indelible impression on everyone he met. He continued his lifelong learning at “the Downs,” where he took courses on the Roman Empire, and enjoyed trips to the Brooks Center at Clemson, to enjoy classical music and other performances. Everyone who knew Don, knew he was profoundly hard of hearing. That never stopped his lifelong love of the arts and of intellectual curiosity. In 2023, daughter Lisa brought Don back to her home in Orlando FL.

Don and first wife Sandee were reunited and both lived in separate units at a senior living community close to Lisa. It was here that Don was paired with a caregiver that changed everyone’s lives. Caregiver Nancieanne was an absolute angel who made 2023 and 2024 the best two years that anyone could imagine. Don delighted in telling stories to Nancieanne and making everyone laugh. Nancieanne likes to recall that if she ever found Don on the floor from an easy fall, he would always lie and say he was “looking at something on the ground”. For those who knew Don, he was never one to complain. Don enjoyed almost constant visits from friends and family as the months went by. By September 2024 Don was peacefully sleeping most days, and passed on September 16 with friends and family and chaplain. Don lived a long, remarkable life.

He is survived by his daughter Lisa Heesch, son-in-law Klaus Heesch, his first wife Sandee, siblings in SC, many members of the Whelchel family in Cherokee County and across South Carolina, as well as granddaughters Lacey, Finley and Shea, and great-granddaughter Layson. Don’s son Terry passed in 2016, and Don looked forward to being reunited with his beautiful son.