South Hadley, MA – DAUSCH – Donald R., 94, of South Hadley, Massachusetts died peacefully on June 10, 2026 at Renaissance Manor on Cabot in Holyoke, MA. Don leaves behind a beloved son, Andrew R. Dausch, and his partner, Russ Carrier; his beloved daughter, Patricia A. Dausch; and his beloved daughter, Barbara M. Dausch, son-in-law Peter J. Minor, and grandson, Colin J. Minor. Don is also survived by Russ’s children, Crystal Dunn, as well as Seth Carrier-Ladd and Julia Bender. He will be deeply missed by them all as well as by his beloved best friend Carolyn L. Ehrenfried and her family.
Don was born in 1932 and grew up in Cyprus Hills, Brooklyn, the devoted son of Henry and Eunice Dausch (née Williams). There, he developed life-long friendships with “the Norwood Avenue Boys” through scouting, baseball, and basketball. He then went on to have an illustrious career as a high school history teacher at Richmond Hill High School in Queens, NY breaking many boundaries along the way.
The first in his family to go to high school, Don gained admission to the highly selective Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan after a snow ball incident at PS 171 suggested that his energies would be better engaged in a rigorous academic environment. From there he went on to Wagner College where he excelled despite a scuffle or two at VJoes and a number of run-ins with the Dean of Students.
After college, Don was drafted into the army for the Korean War where he served with an all-Black company from the Georgia National Guard in Norfolk, Virginia as part of Eisenhower’s attempt to integrate the National Guard units of resistant Southern governors. His experience witnessing illiteracy and vast disparities in educational opportunities led him to want to better himself and make a difference as a teacher.
Returning to civilian life, he utilized his Veteran’s benefits to obtain a Masters degree in history at Columbia University. He then became a social studies teacher at Richmond Hill High School in Queens, NY where he taught for 37 years. He coached track and field for a substantial portion of his career enriching the lives of many students through access to competitive sports.
At Richmond Hill, Don distinguished himself as an educator by innovating the curriculum and helping his students realize their full potential. His style was distinguished by strategic use of Socratic questioning which helped his students learn how to think about the world around them. One of his students in an experimental sociology course he taught went on to become a Rhodes Scholar. More importantly, thanks to his influence, many of his students developed successful lives and careers as educators, entrepreneurs, and businessfolk.
As a track coach his focus was on developing athletes with grit, persistence and the ability to navigate challenges. He will be remembered for his tongue in cheek catchphrase, “pain is good…but, agony is better!” His greatest legacy, however, was the confidence and character he helped instill in his proteges. Towards this end, he made sure they had what they needed to live up to their potential. When his most talented runner, MaryAnne Persan, could not compete in cross country due to the city-wide absence of women’s cross country teams in the mid-1970s, Don supported her joining the boy’s team due to his strongly held belief in equality. This was a decision he had to repeatedly defend to resistant coaches and administrators. Needless to say, he was proud to see Maryanne excel.
Richmond Hill High School is also where Don met his wife of 60 years, Arlene (née Munari). They raised three children together, traveled the world with friends and family, and played a lot of tennis and golf. He will be remembered for his love of dogs and the great lengths he went through to obtain his beloved family black labrador retriever, Bonnie Marie. Don was an extraordinary father and husband who always managed to make life fun, interesting, and slightly off-kilter.
After losing his wife in 2020, Don moved from his long-time home in Garden City, NY up to Western Massachusetts to be closer to his son Andrew where he successfully established a new chapter in his life. He fell in love with his best friend Carolyn, became a beloved part of a new extended family, and developed new friendships at Loomis Village in South Hadley.
Don will be missed by his many friends, former students, and family. A memorial service to honor him will be held on July 6 from 11 am – 2 pm at Loomis Village, 20 Bayon Drive, South Hadley, Massachusetts.
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