Donald 'Babe' McElwee Jr.
Donald “Babe” McElwee Jr., 67, a beloved member of the Sinking Spring community, passed away June 16, 2024 at the Monarch Meadows Assisted Living in Seaman.
He was born Sept. 19, 1956 in Hillsboro.
Known affectionately as “Babe,” Donald was a dedicated bus driver for the Peebles School District, serving the youth of the area with kindness and care. He was a familiar face to many, not only for his role behind the wheel but also for his involvement in various sports events. Donald officiated volleyball, baseball and softball games, where his passion for sports and community shone through.
A man of faith, Donald was a cherished member of the Portsmouth United Church of God, where he found solace and shared his spiritual journey with others. His commitment to his church and community was unwavering, leaving a lasting impact on all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
In his final journey, Babe will be remembered for his kindness, dedication and unwavering spirit. May his memory live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
Babe leaves behind his devoted wife, Karen (Schwartz) McElwee; sons, Scott (Lina) McElwee of Villa Hills, Ky. and Nathan (Tralina) McElwee of Waynesville; daughters, Kara (Klayton) Juillerat of Winchester and Amber (Josh) Michael of Lynchburg; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; brother, Doug McElwee of Bainbridge; half-brothers, Bradley, Brian and Brent McElwee; and half-sister, Lisa McElwee.
Babe was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Pauline (Montgomery) McElwee Sr.; and brother, John McElwee.
Funeral services will be at the convenience of the family. Burial will take place at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Sinking Spring.
Family requests donations to be made to the United Church of God in Portsmouth, 1253 9th Street, West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663.
Wylie-Thompson Funeral Home has the honor of serving the family.
To sign Babe’s online guestbook, please visit www.thompsonfuneralhomes.com or to leave a like, share or comment, visit the Thompson Funeral Home & Cremation Care Facebook page.
Babe
Babe and I did our first high school baseball game together after getting our license.The game was at Lynchburg vs Fairfield for the league championship. As you can imagine, there was quite a bit of emotion between these two teams. We made it through, and umpired several games after, in high school and Shaffer Park action. Don always had a smile, you could tell how much he enjoyed being out in the community and helping in any way he could for as long as he could. Our community has lost a very good man.