Donald Jerome Nutter

Donald Jerome Nutter, 83, passed away at home surrounded by his family on November 19, 2017, following a courageous battle with cancer. Don "Jake" was born on January 9, 1934 to Charles and Florence (Flowers) Nutter in New Lexington, Ohio. Their family moved to Windham, Ohio where Don was a member of the championship Windham "Bomber" High School basketball team, graduating in 1951. Don was a proud U.S. Navy veteran, serving as a jet fighter mechanic in the Korean War, before fulfilling his military service and then enrolling at Kent State University to pursue a teaching career in mathematics. He earned his Bachelor's degree at Kent State University, his Masters at the University of Notre Dame, and earned distinction as a Rhodes Scholar. Don met the woman of his dreams at Kent State, Janice R. Mater, and they were married on December 27, 1958 in Wadsworth, Ohio. Don, Jan, and their close friends were active members of the Kent State Catholic Newman Club. Don was a career educator in advanced mathematics and calculus, having taught in Akron at Litchfield Junior High, Firestone Senior High, and The University of Akron. Don was Head Golf Coach at Firestone for 14 years and also served on the Norton City Schools Board of Education for 23 years. He shared his strong work ethic with his children and grandchildren through the family business of summer house painting, allowing kids to earn money for college. He retired from Firestone High School in 1986, enabling him to pursue his hobbies of fishing, camping, woodworking, traveling cross-country, trips to Las Vegas, and being a devoted parishioner of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Norton. A man of few words, he would transform with babies on his knee, legendary for "itsy-bitsy-spider" and "patty-cake"