Donald Lease

Services for Donald P. Lease, 73, of Mentor, will be at 10 AM on Sat., Sept. 15, 2012 at Davis-Babcock Funeral Home, 4154 Clark Ave., Willoughby Mr. Lease passed away Thurs., Sept. 6, 2012 at Hospice House in Cleveland. Born March 11, 1939 in Cleveland, he had lived in Mentor for the past 46 years. Don was an accomplished private and commercial pilot, a hobby he had to give up in 1982 due to a heart condition. He may also be remembered best by his many friends as the ambassador of Bluegrass music in N.E. Ohio. He played Dobro guitar and served as a Master of Ceremonies with many local bluegrass bands and festivals, including The City of Eastlake's annual Freedom Festival during the Fourth of July holiday. He also enjoyed large scale slot-cars at Euclid Raceway, which he owned and operated during the early 1960's. He was an avid photographer and an expert marksman in skeet and trap-shooting and was a craftsman who built furniture and cabinetry in his woodshop. Mr. Lease attended the Cleveland Engineering Institute and began his career as a junior draftsman and later served a four year apprenticeship as a tool and die maker at the former Midwest Precision Castings in Euclid. He later joined the Parker-Hannifin Corp. as a tool and die maker, rising to the position of product engineer, where he served as a new product coordinator, expediter and trouble shooter before retiring in 1988. Survivors include his wife, Nancy (nee: Mack) (Ule) Lease; children, Donna Henderson and Daniel (Staci) Lease, both of Concord Twp. and Patti Redd of Mentor; step-sons, Joseph Ule and Steven (Jolie) Ule, both of Kansas City, MO; grandchildren, Ashley, Jacob, Zachary, Hannah, Stephen and Chloe; step-granddaughter, Daphne; brother, William Lease of Cleveland and sister, Patricia (Robert) Kleisley of Sun City, AZ. He also leaves many cousins, his nieces and a nephew; his former wife, Nancy Cvar of Mentor and his former son-in-law, Hugh Henderson of Painesville. His parents, Paul Lease and Louise Julian are deceased. Friends may call from 4-8 PM Fri., Sept. 14, 2012 at Davis-Babcock Funeral Home, 4154 Clark Ave., Willoughby. The Rev. Michael J. Currier of the Body of Christ Community Church in Willoughby will officiate at the service. Final resting place will be in Mentor Cemetery. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the many physicians and the Mentor Center for Dialysis Care for their wonderful care of Don through the last several years.