Donald M. Draher

Donald M. Draher, 72, of Somerdale, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007, in Union Hospital, Dover, following a brief illness.

Born Apr. 30, 1934 in Oxford Twp., Tuscarawas Co., he was a son of the late Charles and Sadie Pollock Draher. Don graduated from Midvale High School, and, on Feb. 10, 1956, married the former Ruth Kugler in Emmanuel Lutheran Church, New Philadelphia. He was employed by the Tuscarawas Co. Road and Bridge Dept. for some thirty-three years, as a heavy equipment operator, before retiring in 1993. Don also was a firefighter with the Fairfield Twp. Volunteer Fire Dept. for twenty-one years; he started a year or two after the department was formed.

Don�(TM)s work was his second love after Ruth and his family �" specifically, running his grader. He also enjoyed gardening, playing cards and taking in the beautiful scenery of the Tuscarawas Valley.

In addition to his wife Ruth, he is survived by a daughter, Diane (husband, Steve Miller) of Dover; three sons, Richard (companion, Melanie Wilson) Draher of Urbana, Ronald Draher of Dover, and Douglas Draher of Fairlawn; two grandchildren, Tyler and Ethan Miller.

Besides his parents, Don was preceded in death by three half-sisters and three half-brothers.

His life will be celebrated in a service Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m., in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover, with Rev. Michael W. Lowry of St. John�(TM)s United Church of Christ, Dover, officiating. Burial will be in Stone Creek Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Friday, Jan. 19, 4 �" 8 p.m. To sign an online register and share a fond memory of Don, please visit the funeral home�(TM)s Web site and click on “obituaries.”

Instead of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Dept., P.O. Box 8336, Somerdale, OH 44678.

Toland-Herzig, Dover
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com