Donald T. Smargiassi

Donald T. Smargiassi, 86 of Pawnee passed away Sunday, October 13, 2024 at Springfield Memorial Hospital.

He was born February 16, 1938 in Springfield, the son of Amerigo and Ann Lenzini Smargiassi.

He married Mary Kay Aherin on October 27, 1962.

Don graduated from Feitshans High School in 1956.  He graduated from Eastern Illinois University (Harvard of the Midwest) with a B.S. degree in 1960 and later earned M.S. degree. 

Don began his teaching and coaching career in Pawnee in 1960.  He was an assistant football coach for 23 years, head basketball coach for 5 years and head baseball coach for 20 years.  His high school baseball teams never had a losing record.  He was inducted in both the Illinois High School Basketball and Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.  He was athletic director for many years.  He was affiliated with Pawnee Schools for 62 years.

He was truly an unique individual, a one of a kind, who truly loved his family.  He never met a stranger and always had something to say.  Don enjoyed watching his grandchildren and step-grandchildren participating in all their activities.

He also enjoyed bungy jumping, sky diving and scuba diving.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Kay; one daughter, Donna Smargiassi; two sons, Michael (Jenny) Smargiassi and Thomas (Brenda) Smargiassi; five grandchildren, Mariah (Jessie), Payne, Bryant, Braden and Brock; one great-grandson, Hayden; two step-grandsons, Jacob and Cameron; brother-in-law, James Aherin; sister-in-law, Maureen Kahn; special cousin, Theresa Marie Yocum; other cousins throughout the country.

Visitation will be from 4pm till 7pm, Thursday, October 17, 2024 at Bramley Funeral Home, 150 Reichert Rd, Divernon. The family has requested that everyone wears Pawnee colors.  Additional visitation will be from 9am till time of funeral mass at 10am, Friday at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Auburn with Rev. James Palakudy officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Pawnee.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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