Don R. Stout

Don Stout was born on February 28, 1923 in Plymouth, IN to Harry and Addie (Showers) Stout. The family moved to Rochester, IN in 1929, where Don graduated from Woodrow Grade School. He was in the 1941 graduating class from Rochester High School. While in high school Don was co-captain of the basketball team, President of his Junior and Senior class, active in HI-Y, participated on the baseball, track and golf teams, and was a participant in a State Latin Contest held at Indiana University. He later was selected as Valedictorian of his graduating class. In 1941, with the help of a scholarship, Don attended Butler University and played freshman basketball. In early 1942 he left college because of financial problems and the ongoing World War. Don went to work at Ball-Band in Mishawaka, IN and was soon drafted into the Air Force on January 4, 1943. He served overseas in England as a cryptographer, and was able to be active in basketball and softball. In 1945 Don was honorably discharged from the Air Force and returned to his job at Ball-Band. In 1946 he married LaVerne Graf, and returned to Butler University, graduating in 1949. Upon graduation, Don was active in amateur softball, volleyball, and basketball in the Indianapolis area. In 1954 he played on a South Side Turners national championship basketball team. In 1946 he began work at Suburban Motor Freight as a clerk. Don worked 38 years for Suburban, as a Dispatcher, Operations Manager and Interim Manager, retiring 1984. In 1958 he began a second job with Indianapolis Parks and Recreation at Municipal Gardens Family Center. In his early work days for Municipal Gardens, Don organized adult volleyball leagues, managed adult softball leagues, organized youth spring and summer softball leagues, worked in regular day camps and Project Gather day camps and also participated in city-wide kite contest sponsored by the Indianapolis Star. He helped organize a youth basketball league called "Little Guys Basketball" which later became the "Gardens Basketball League." In 1960 the Gardens Little Guys Team won an international tournament in Highwood, Illinois. Don coached and helped administer the Garden's basketball program at Municipal for 47 years. In 1979 he was an assistant coach on the first of many AAU National Championships won by Municipal gardens. Don also coached in the Municipal Gardens Dad's Club football league from 1958-1978, and served as the group's Treasurer. When the Indianapolis –Scarborough Peace Games started in 1973, he worked with youth in participating local basketball leagues. Don was selected twice to coach the younger team in competition with Scarborough. In 1993 he changed Peace Games Sports when he played on the Senior Softball team that played Scarborough Seniors yearly until 1999. Don furnished transportation to Municipal Gardens programs to hundreds of youth over the years. He also served as an assistant to the Municipal Gardens Senior Exercise Group for many years. In 1984 Don started coaching softball, volleyball and basketball with Special Olympics. Several state championships were won in each sport. In 1999 he was honored with the Area Eight Award for the Coach of the Year. In 1991 Don coached the Indiana Adult Unified Softball Team to a gold medal in the first unified team participation at the International Special Olympics in Minneapolis. He retired from Special Olympic coaching in 2003. In 1984 Don was asked to be the male attendant for the Cerebral Palsy Group meeting at Municipal Gardens Weekly. He organized and assisted in planning overnight trips to Florida, Washington D.C. and several Midwestern destinations. Don was the recipient of several awards for voluntary service by United Cerebral Palsy. On November 1996 he was honored by the Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation as Employee of the month. In 1979 Don was awarded a community service award from the Northwest Lions Club, and in 1995 he was awarded another community service award from the Haughville SDA Church. In November 2003 Don was recognized by the City-County Council for his contributions to the community youth. In 2004 Mr. Stout was humbled and honored to have the new gymnasium, in the new addition to Municipal Gardens named the "Don Stout Gymnasium". He ended 47 years of service in November 2005. Although retired, Don continued volunteering with Cerebral Palsy Group and serving as Senior Advisor to the Garden's Basketball program. At the time of his passing, Don was a member of the American Legion Post 500 and a partner with Indiana Special Olympics. He was also a longtime member of Church of the Master, where he served in several areas including Sunday School Teacher, Moderator, Deacon, and Treasurer; he also sang in the church choir. Don was preceded in death by his parents; step-mother, Lenore Stout; sister, Vivian and brother, True. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, LaVerne Stout; children, Cy (Margie) Stout, Jon (Vickie) Stout, Ron Stout, Carol (Vinton) Knarr, Cheri (John) Oakley, Jill York and Sue (David) Rohrer; 12 grandchildren and 16¾ great-grandchildren. Don is also survived by 1 brother, Jack Stout. Don's family would like to thank the staff of IU Health and Countryside Meadows for the loving care they've provided. Visitation will be held on Monday, October 29, 2012 from 4until 8pm at Flanner and Buchanan-Speedway. Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 10:30am, also at the funeral home. Entombment will follow in Lincoln Memory Gardens, Whitestown. Memorial contributions may be given to Church of the Master.