Donald Owen Busby

Donald Owen Busby, Sr. was 85, when he passed away at home on February 9, 2021 surrounded by family. He was born and raised in Alabama. After graduating high school, Don moved to Florida where he met the love of his life, Roberta Grace Swann. They were married for 64 ½ years.

For 45 years Don shared his knowledge and love of baseball with the youth of College Park. He coached both his sons when they were growing up as well as his daughter in softball at Robert E. Lee. He coached at College Park Little League, Robert E. Lee Jr. High, Edgewater High School, Jones and Evans High School. He was President of College Park Little League and coached numerous teams. In 2000 while coaching with his sons won top team in college park and went on to win district first time in College Park little league history. While at Edgewater, he built the dugouts when his son, Don Jr., played. He was expressly pleased to have been able to coach his grandson, Zachary,, when he was at Edgewater.

Don always was willing to help any youth who asked for assistance in learning the skills to play baseball, even if you weren’t on his team. He expected his players to be committed to practices, teamwork, knowing the rules and being willing to learn. He would always say if winning wasn't so important why do they keep score.

Don was a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union#15 and really enjoyed welding. He would joke and say he could weld anything but a broken heart and the crack of dawn. His friends and family would agree there wasn’t much he couldn’t build or repair.

After his retirement, Don enjoyed fishing and telling fish stories (along with life stories) with his fishing buddies, Don Jr., and Tim Luick and Todd Klein. When his son commented on him keeping “score” of the number of fishes caught, he just smiled. Shortly thereafter they started the trend of counting first fish caught, largest fish caught and number of fish caught, as well as dinks. They called him “Commodore” and after his passing have taken to calling all first fish caught “The Commodore’s fish.”

Don was a devout Christian. He was a member of College Park Baptist early in his Christian life, a Deacon at Miller Memorial Baptist Church then became a member of Calvary Assembly of God with Pastors Roy Harthern, Alex Clattenburg, and his favorite, Mark Rutland. He read the scripture every morning and, if asked, would share any scripture or his testimony. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved telling corny jokes. He was honest, hardworking, loyal, respectful, loving, patient and kind. He leaves behind his wife, Roberta, and three children, Donald Owen Busby, Jr., Melissa Grace Busby and John Leslie Busby (Tina), five grandchildren, two who were very special to him: Molly Jane Busby and Zachary Delane Busby and, 6 great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Calvary Assembly (in the gymnasium), 1199 Clay Street, Winter Park, FL. Please park in the Orange Parking Lot. Masks will be provided. We ask that you come and share your best corny jokes, baseball stories, friendship and fishing stories in helping us celebrate his life.