Donald W. Maudlin

Donald William Maudlin died on February 16, 2025 at Austin Trace Health and Rehabilitation Center in Centerville, Ohio. He was 91. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Betty; his three children, Mickey (and Karen) Maudlin, Mark (and Karen) Maudlin, and Stacy (and Erich) Smith; as well as seven grandchildren, Katherine Maudlin, Alexa Maudlin, Lauren Motley, Cole Smith, Matthew Maudlin, Shae Smith, and Olivia Maudlin (and one deceased, Savannah Smith), and one great grandchild, Ella Motley. Born May 2, 1933, Don was the youngest of five children of Grant and Charlotte Maudlin in Royal Oak, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Don was especially good at befriending others and making others laugh, enjoying sports such as baseball and basketball. Graduating from Dondero High School in 1951, he made a career selling machines and machine tools at DeVlieg Machine Company in Royal Oak. In 1975 he along with his business partner Ed Jolley purchased Automation Accessories, a regional machine tool distributor for southern Ohio and northern Kentucky, moving his family to Centerville, Ohio, just south of Dayton, which became very successful. Making lifelong friends quickly, he especially enjoyed provoking neighbors with University of Michigan paraphernalia before their annual football game with Ohio State. What is strange is that everyone enjoyed him all the more for it. Everywhere he went he made people laugh, spreading joy and welcome. In 1990 he suffered a burst brain aneurysm while driving to Florida, which he miraculously survived after a complicated brain surgery. Selling his business and retiring at age 65, Don enjoyed time with family and friends, talking every day with neighbors and his long-time friends, sharing meals at his favorite restaurants, and making sure his house and yard met his exacting standards. He was generous supporting good causes and sought to leave everyone he met smiling. Routsong Funeral Home is caring for his remains.