Donald Anton

Donald Anton passed away on Friday, February 28, 2025, in Honolulu Hawaii after a short illness surrounded by his wife and children. Donald was born in Philadelphia, PA on April 7, 1951, to the late Elwood J. and Ida (Ruh) Anton. He graduated from George Washington High School in Northeast Philadelphia and worked a variety of jobs over the years. His most memorable at Bekins Moving and Storage for more than 20 years and Deacon Industrial where he retired in 2017 but continued to work part-time for them for several years after.

Don was raised in the faith from a young age at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, laying the foundation for his future. It was at church where he would meet his future wife when he was just 11 years old and she 10. As an adult, he was a member of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in King of Prussia, PA for more than 45 years. He taught a variety of different age Sunday School classes, helped run the Lotus Youth Group, and loved the camping trips that the kids would go on every summer. In 2015, he joined a group of church members on a mission trip to Rwanda, where he was affectionately nicknamed “Papa Don” by the children he met. This trip would deeply impact his life through the reminders of the genocide that had taken place in the country in 1994 and furthering his belief in caring for your neighbor. In 2018, he would return to Rwanda with a new group that included his daughter and four granddaughters. Each trip bringing the Rwandan children chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows for a sweet treat which he enjoyed with them and their contagious smiles. In recent years he became involved with the church program, Lydia’s Visitors, and as a worship assistant, excelling at both.

Don’s 73 years were full of love for his family and friends. His children and grandchildren were the light of his life. He took great pride in the adults that his children became and the families and life that they created. When the grandkids were little, he spent hours writing clues about and setting up the Easter egg hunt for them to enjoy before everyone would participate in the family tradition of “Uppering”. He had a knack for picking the perfect egg and was the yearly winner many times, each egg marked with “Pop Pop” and the year. As his grandchildren grew older, you could find him cheering them on from a sports sideline, attending school programs and art shows, celebrating their accomplishments, and happiest when the family was all together.

Don is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marilynn (Woodruff) Anton; their two children, Bethany Boccella (Bob) and Jeffrey Anton (Lisa); 5 grandchildren, Elaina, Zachary, Brianna, Madelyn and Amelia; his sister Dorothy Leonard (John); sister-in-law Holly Geyer  (John Willamson), and many loving family members. He was preceded in death by his parents and nephew Robert Cotton.

Family and friends are invited to attend his memorial service on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 132 East Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Visitation will be held from 11:00am-12:00pm, with funeral services beginning at 12:00pm. Donald’s wife Marilynn shares, for those who knew him personally, the dress requirement will be jeans, t-shirt or flannel shirt, and scruffy looking sneaks. It’s what he would have wanted. A livestream and recording of the service will be available on the church’s YouTube channel, Good Shepherd at the following link https://www.youtube.com/live/poO74zIGBuA?si=BWR_E7d2Wh9BbM8S

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Donald’s memory to:

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

132 East Valley Forge Rd

King of Prussia, PA 19406

Arrangements are by The Bacchi Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd., Bridgeport, Pa

Condolences to the family at www.bacchifh.com