Obituary for Donald E. Laidig
Mr. Donald E. Laidig went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
He was born at the family farm in Waterfall, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, to Samuel W. and Alice G. Shore Laidig. He was 94 years and 3 days old.
Donald quit school in the eighth grade to run the family farm when his father worked away from home. He started cutting paperwood at the age of 16, working day and night to keep his mother and two sisters, Helen Peters and Louise Varner, both deceased.
He married Beverly J. Shope on August 20, 1951. They enjoyed 71 years of marriage, and had one daughter, Dawn Carol Laidig Kauffman. He is also survived by a son-in-law Daniel M. Kauffman.
Donald was drafted in 1951 and served two years in Germany. Afterward he ran heavy equipment for an independent York, PA contractor. When the owner of the company passed away, he moved to Chambersburg, PA, and began a 35 year career operating the backhoe for Guilford Water Authority.
Always working, Donald built three houses after work. One on Walker Road for his wife in 1964, another near Colonel Denning State Park for his sister, and one for his daughter in 1980 on South Mountain, Shippensburg.
He grew gardens all his life, and he planted fruit and nut trees everywhere he lived. Most notably, Donald drilled his own wells, using a 1901 post hole digger to a depth of 128 feet. He was a jack of all trades. He enjoyed working day & night, and God blessed him in all his endeavors.
It was his wish to be cremated so that he could return to his beloved mountain home.
Services will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mainsville Church, c/o Gloria Chestnut (Treasurer), 43 Michael Court, Shippensburg, PA 17257.
The family has entrusted Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home & Crematorium Inc. to handle his funeral arrangements.
He was born at the family farm in Waterfall, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, to Samuel W. and Alice G. Shore Laidig. He was 94 years and 3 days old.
Donald quit school in the eighth grade to run the family farm when his father worked away from home. He started cutting paperwood at the age of 16, working day and night to keep his mother and two sisters, Helen Peters and Louise Varner, both deceased.
He married Beverly J. Shope on August 20, 1951. They enjoyed 71 years of marriage, and had one daughter, Dawn Carol Laidig Kauffman. He is also survived by a son-in-law Daniel M. Kauffman.
Donald was drafted in 1951 and served two years in Germany. Afterward he ran heavy equipment for an independent York, PA contractor. When the owner of the company passed away, he moved to Chambersburg, PA, and began a 35 year career operating the backhoe for Guilford Water Authority.
Always working, Donald built three houses after work. One on Walker Road for his wife in 1964, another near Colonel Denning State Park for his sister, and one for his daughter in 1980 on South Mountain, Shippensburg.
He grew gardens all his life, and he planted fruit and nut trees everywhere he lived. Most notably, Donald drilled his own wells, using a 1901 post hole digger to a depth of 128 feet. He was a jack of all trades. He enjoyed working day & night, and God blessed him in all his endeavors.
It was his wish to be cremated so that he could return to his beloved mountain home.
Services will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mainsville Church, c/o Gloria Chestnut (Treasurer), 43 Michael Court, Shippensburg, PA 17257.
The family has entrusted Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home & Crematorium Inc. to handle his funeral arrangements.