Donald Dean Carr

Donald Dean Carr, age 90, of Zionsville, Indiana died on June 20th, 2021 at Hoosier Village. He was born March 28, 1931 in Fredonia, Kansas, the son of Cecil and Thelma (Griffin) Carr.

After high school in Fredonia, Don went on to Kansas State University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. Following college, he spent two years enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During his time in the service, he met and married Joanne Millspaugh of Walden, New York. Don and Joanne spent their first year of marriage at Misawa Air Base in Japan, and while in Japan, they welcomed the birth of their first son.

After his service in the Air Force, Don returned to Kansas State and earned his Master of Science degree in Geology. Don’s first career position was as an educator, teaching earth science at Storm King School in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. He then served as an Exploration Geologist for the Humble Oil Company (now Exxon) working out of the Grand Rapids and Pittsburgh offices. Following that, he spent a year with Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas. In 1963, Don was offered a position at the Indiana Geological Survey at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, which gave Don the opportunity to work on and complete his Doctorate Degree in Geology. It was in Bloomington where Don and Joanne “settled in” and raised their family of four boys.

Don retired in 1996 from his position as Principal Geologist in the Industrial Minerals Section of the Indiana Geological Survey. In addition, he was a part-time Professor of Economic Geology at Indiana University. During his career, he authored numerous publications and was editor of several reference books. Over the years, he held many professional memberships and was the recipient of several distinguished awards.

Don loved reading and enjoying the outdoors – gardening, biking, hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing. He and Joanne especially enjoyed several Elderhostel European bike trips. After retirement, they moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where Don volunteered at the Garden of the Gods, giving tours and lectures. During their time in Colorado, Don achieved a long-time personal goal of hiking to the summit of Pikes Peak. In 2007, Don and Joanne returned to Indiana to be near family.

One of his grandchildren beautifully summed up his life writing “He was kind, smart, loving, humble, adventurous, funny, and lived his life to the fullest. He was the best encourager, the most generous man, and loved his family dearly”.

Survivors include his wife, Joanne, of 66 years, four sons: Rand (Linda), Donald (Robin), Philip (Judy), and Wiley (John); six grandchildren: Christy Teherani (James), Joellen Carr (fiancé Kyle), Kate Sawicki (Tyler), Megan Carr, Alex Carr, and Jackson Carr; three great-grandchildren: Killian, Emilio, and Andre Teherani with two more expected this year. He is also survived by his sister Connie Young (Bill); brother-in-law Marcus Millspaugh (Barbara), and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date with family. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Zionsville Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library or the Zionsville Food Pantry.