Donald Leroy Stotts

Donald Leroy Stotts, 95, of Brentwood, Tennessee, formerly of El Paso, Illinois, died at 1:30 pm on Thursday, November 24, 2022 at the Community Care of Rutherford County, Murfreesboro, TN.

Don was born in Alliance, Ohio, on April 26, 1927, the son of Edith and Kenneth Stotts. He married Joyce Bowker on August 8, 1948. She predeceased him on January 27, 2014.

Surviving are his children: Vickie Stotts Evans, Brentwood, TN; Barbara Stotts Mool (Rodney Unzicker) El Paso, IL; daughter-in-law, Karen Stotts, of Minonk, IL; grandchildren Brian (Lindsay) Stotts, Bloomington, IL; Craig (Karen) Stotts, Bloomington, IL; Nicolas (Erin) Mool, and Stephanie (Derek) Moore, both of El Paso, IL; Jason (Jaime) Mool, Manhattan, Kansas; Bill (Dawn) Evans, of Nashville TN; Ashley (Trevor) Byrne, of San Francisco, CA; and Erin (Chris) Martin, of Madison, TN. Also surviving are sixteen great-grandchildren: Blaine, Tucker, Addi, Nolan, Ava, Jackson, Tessa, Keith, Calan, Emersyn, Raylynn, Tripp, Hudson, Lindsey, Drew, and Teagan. He was predeceased by his brother, Gerald Stotts; his son, Larry, son-in-law, Keith Mool, and son-in-law, Bill Evans.

Don enlisted in the Navy right after graduating from high school. He went to basic training and then to San Francisco for further training. The day he arrived in San Francisco, the war ended. He was assigned to the USS Sitka and the ship went to the Philippines and picked up soldiers who had been fighting on the islands.

He and Joyce lived all over the Midwest, enjoyed worshiping with their church families, playing cards, square dancing, and being active in all of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s lives. Don and Joyce retired to Winter Haven, Florida. After Joyce died, Don was asked if he would ever date or see anyone else. His response was “Why would I look at anyone else – I already had the best in Joyce”. After Joyce died, Don moved to Brentwood, Tennessee, and lived with his daughter, Vickie Evans, until his death.

Memorial, Veteran and Masonic services will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. prior to services. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in El Paso. Ruestman-Harris Funeral Home of El Paso is assisting family with arrangements. Condolences and tributes can be left at www.ruestmanharrisfuneralhome.com