Courtesy of Funeral Home Website by Batesville, Inc.
Mr. Wahle was born in Covington, Kentucky to Bertha and Vernon Wahle.
Through his life, he must have believed Dr. Seuss: “If you never did, you should. These things are good and good is fun”. After quitting high school in Cincinnati to join the Air Force, he spent nearly ten years serving his country. Completing high school and college, while in the Air Force, he then attended Officers Candidate School, served in Vietnam, receiving the Purple Heart together with the Air Force Commendation medal, finishing his Air Force career with over 4,400 hours as a B-52 Command Pilot. Over the years that followed, Mr. Wahle owned and operated retail camera/photography stores, was a volunteer Fireman/EMT with the Fairborn, Ohio Fire Department, spent a number of years as Sylvania Lighting district and regional manager in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo and New York City. Returning to Indianapolis, he was part owner and crew chief of a USAC/ARCA & NASCAR stock car team, was flagman/starter at Raceway Park while at the same time owning/managing forty-six Suzuki motorcycle dealerships in Indiana and Kentucky. He then spent one season with the Indianapolis Racers hockey team as VP of Marketing and Public Relations before joining Park Fletcher, Inc. as Vice President of one of the largest commercial real estate developers in Indianapolis and becoming part of the team creating Park Fletcher Industrial and Research Center, a 630 acre industrial park adjacent to Indianapolis International Airport. When Park Fletcher was acquired by Duke Realty, Don joined their Industrial Group, acquiring various awards during his eleven years with the company. After retiring, he formed a partnership with Harshman Property Services, managing and leasing properties he had previously developed in Park Fletcher. Don then formed Commercial Real Estate Consultants, LLC, advising and assisting small businesses, with their real estate planning and investments, mostly on a pro-bono basis. He was a member at St. Christopher Church and a Life Member of Optimist International, serving as Indiana Lieutenant Governor and numerous terms as Club President. He served on various committees with the Building Owners and Managers Association of Indianapolis, was on the Board of Directors with the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce and Board Member of Prestwick Community Services Association. Don was an avid golfer as a member of Prestwick Country Club and Indiana State Seniors Golf Association. Additionally, he volunteered as an IGA/PGA Rules Official at numerous amateur, professional and college golf tournaments, seldom missing the Boys’ and Girls’ State Championships, which were his favorite tournaments to officiate.
Of all of the adventures in his life, a safari in Tanzania, East Africa, with his grandson Austin, capped off his never boring life. He truly believed that “These things are good and good is fun”.
He was proceeded in death by his mother “Chris”, father Vernon and brother David and is survived by his wife of over 33 very happy and fantastic years, Marcia, daughter Kathleen Brown, son James Stevenson, three grandchildren; Yoko Stevenson, Pilar Hays and Austin Brown; two great-grandchildren, Noah and Amai.
Celebration of life shall be from 4 p.m.to 7 p.m. Sunday at Conkle Funeral Home, in Avon with Mass at St. Christopher Church, Speedway, Indiana, Monday at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be given to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or St. Christopher School, Speedway, Indiana or Cardinal Ritter High School, Indianapolis.