Donald Alan Davidson passed away at his home, in Sycamore, Illinois, on August 26th, 2024, after a courageous two year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Don was born January 28, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois to Robert and Evelyn (nee Pocock) Davidson.  He was a graduate of Maine East High School and attended two years at Chicago City Colleges, planning to become an engineer. He was then provided the opportunity to attend the Chicago School of Podiatry, which he graduated from in 1965. He served patients at Michael Reese and Weiss Hospitals, the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute, as well as his private practice in downtown Chicago for nearly twenty-five years.

Finding this work no longer rewarding Don started to make plans, to change careers. He attended Roosevelt University to get his Bachelor's Degree.  Upon the completion of that goal, he attended Aurora University and received a Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work. Achieving his LCSW he went to work for the State of Illinois at Elgin Mental Health Center. He loved his work and often told many interesting stories of his experiences while working there. He retired in 2012.

Don loved going to the movies. It didn't matter the genre or the language. He went to the movies with his buddy Phil every week for thirty years, often going on discount Tuesdays. He would say he got his fiction from the movies. As an avid reader he got his non-fiction from books. Don loved to learn about people, history and events. It was from that interest to learn that he loved to travel. He traveled to Europe, Asia, South America, Africa…twenty -six countries in all. One of his last trips was to Machu Pichu in Peru. He was planning a trip to China when the pandemic hit, which ended his travels, but not the stories about his adventures.

Don's love of history took him on road trips throughout the United States which led to his discovery of the National Parks. He became an avid photographer of the parks, visiting thirty-three of them. He surrounded himself with these photos on the walls of his condo. His request is to have his ashes scattered at Yellowstone National Park, his favorite.

Don's laugh and spirit will be missed by those who survive him: his son's Lance (Laura) and Jason Davidson, brother Robert (Bonnie) Davidson, sister Susan (Marvin) Huizinga, loving partner, Darlene Otterson and daughter Courtney Otterson-Hertzner and many nieces,  nephews and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and his brother James Davidson.

A Celebration of Life in memory of Don will take place on November 2, 2024 from 2:00pm-5:00pm at Faranda's Banquets, 302 Grove Street, DeKalb, Il.

To sign the online guest book or write a special memory, go to www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com