Donald P. Tierney

Visitation will be held from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at Church of the Palms in Sarasota. Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, at the church. Funeral arrangements by: Palms-Robarts Funeral Home.

He is survived by his wife, Dolores; sons, Robert wife Patrice, Donald, Thomas wife Diane; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Shriners Childrens Hospital in Donald's memory.

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Donald P. Tierney who was indeed a born manager. He will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Donald was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Donald knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

Donald was born on May 9, 1933 at Wyckoff Heights Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were William and Lillian Tierney. Donald was raised in Brooklyn, New York. Even as a youngster, Donald learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that he carried with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Donald was able to put his natural abilities to work. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, he liked to organize and direct. Donald was raised with one sibling. He had brother, Richard. Donald had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Donald, this was a natural order of life, one he gladly embraced.

Donald's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, Donald enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. In his spare time he liked fishing.

In school, Donald was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Donald was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. Donald’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” He graduated from high school in 1951. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

Donald’s practical work ethic carried over into his college years. His logical mind permitted him to work hard without succumbing to the usual distractions of college life. He would tackle an assignment and work through it before moving onto the next project. Donald’s orderly nature gave way to establishing personal study habits and procedures that not only helped him stay on track but often put him ahead of schedule. When Donald saw the need or benefit, he would willingly take on the extra assignment or even attend extra classes in order to learn more and become a better student. He earned his Associate of Arts from St. John's University.

Donald was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Donald was a member of a group, his interaction worked to keep the others grounded. He wasn’t afraid to confront his friends and, when necessary, he challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Donald came to expect his high standards of performance. Later in life, he became friends with Al Velez, Harry Wright, George Deal.

An objective and conscientious individual, Donald reveled in the security of his family. On February 17, 1990 Donald exchanged wedding vows with Dolores Ellen Walters at the Church of the Palms of Sarasota, Florida. One of Donald’s most endearing qualities was his uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and his unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for his family and friends.

Donald was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Donald would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. Donald was blessed with three children, sons, Robert, Donald, Thomas. They were also blessed with seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, April, Candice, Lindsay, Sean, Taylor, Lily, Tessa, Maryssa, Bailyn, Alexandria, Colton, and Jaida.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Donald was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Donald was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Donald upheld his standards. His primary occupation was in supply chain management. He was employed for 33 years with Schlitz Brewing Company. Donald was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Donald approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were playing cards, reading, watching movies, walking, and traveling. Donald was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Donald to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. Recreational sports included bowling and fishing. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and baseball.

A civic-minded person, Donald was usually ready to jump in and help with community activities. He was the type of person who could masterfully organize events and projects and then see to it that they were run in an efficient and timely manner. Politically, Donald was a Republican. During these years, Donald applied his analytical intellect to problem solving and so was an asset on most committees.

Faith was important to Donald. He held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay he saw around him. For that reason he held deep spiritual beliefs that he was willing to share. He was a member of Church of the Palms for 22 years. During that time, he was an Usher and Greeter.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Donald used his scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that he made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Donald had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included Vermont, Cayman Islands, and various cruises.

Donald was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Donald’s favorites was Cindy, a mixed breed. They were best friends for 14 years.

When Donald’s retirement finally arrived in 1997, he was well prepared. He used his critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. In many ways, Donald loved retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Donald passed away on July 1, 2012 at Sarasota Memorial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Sarasota, Florida. He is survived by his wife, Dolores; sons, Robert wife Patrice, Donald, Thomas wife Diane; seven grandchildren, April, Candice, Lindsay, Sean, Taylor, Lily, Tessa; five great-grandchildren, Maryssa, Bailyn, Alexandria, Colton, and Jaida. Services were held at Church of the Palms.

All who knew him would agree that Donald was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Donald P. Tierney did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.