M. Donald “Don” Carmin, 80, of Toledo, Ohio and Rotonda West, Florida, passed away Monday, May 06, 2013 in Englewood, Florida.
Don was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the only child of the late Lillian and Leslie Carmin. Don graduated from Chillicothe High School, went on to receive his Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and his Doctorates of Jurisprudence degree from Toledo University. After graduating from law school, he joined the firm of Eastman Smith in Toledo, Ohio where he became a partner, and practiced as a defense attorney until his retirement in 1997. He was devoted to the clients that he represented, and was well respected within the community.
As he traveled through life he actively participated in tennis, waterskiing, handball, golf, softball, hunting, fishing, boating, camping and traveling. After retiring from his law practice, reading for pleasure became his passion.
Don is survived by his wife of 28 years, Anne who resides between their Rotonda West and Maumee, Ohio homes, children; daughters Christine (Greg) Taylor of Toledo, OH, and Tracy (Darrell) LaCourse of North Port, FL, Jim Carmin of Southfield, MI, and David Weber of Anchorage, AK; five grandchildren, and his loving Rescue Dog, Murphy. In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by his beloved canine and friend, Cody. Our family has lost a great husband, father and grandfather.
A REFLECTION FROM A FRIEND: I first met Don Carmin in September of 1961 when we were both in our first year at the University of Toledo College of Law (night school). As I remember Don had served in the military prior to his admission to law school so he was a few years older than some of us who had just graduated from undergraduate school. I also remember well that Don was one of our smartest classmates. Recognizing his brilliant mind, the prestigious law firm Eastman, Smith et al hired Don, the first graduate of T.U. they had ever hired. I understand that Don was the number 2 person at Eastman & Smith when he retired. He was truly a credit to the profession of law. At some point about the middle of our third year in law school, I discovered that Don and our beloved late friend John Wagoner would go on a summer break camping and Fishing to the boundary water area of Lake of the Woods, Minnesota/Ontario. Because I was brought up in a family that used to travel to northern Ontario when my dad was alive I was obviously intrigued. Those trips that Don and John took later morphed into the numerous great fishing trips that we took from about 1969 until the early 2000’s. We went as far north to Great Slave Lake in the Canadian Northwest Territories to as far south as the tributaries of the Amazon River in Venezuela. I Cannot remember when but I know that it was during the early 1970’s that Don and I first started and would always be roommates on all those fishing trips. There was never any discussion as to who was in the room with whom; it was always the two of us without any questions. We wouldn’t see or talk to each other from the end of one trip to the start of the next a year later but we both knew we would stay in the same room and would always fish together the first day with each other to “get it over with” so we could start catching fish. We became fast friends on those trips, talking about our lives, the world, the law and our dogs. I also remember that Don was also one of the most conservative people that I had ever met at that point. We decided that discussing politics was not in our best interest as friends. As we continue the fishing trips, we added and subtracted law partners, relatives, sons and friends. We attended weddings of our children. And the older we gained in years the more we cared for each other. And why not? Because if ever you needed a true friend, Don was the perfect incarnation.
A Memorial Service celebrating Don’s life will be held 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at Roberson Funeral Home, 2151 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte, Florida.
Memorial contributions may be made in Don’s name to Tidewell Hospice Inc. or to the Toledo MetroParks.
Arrangements are by Roberson Funeral Home & Crematory Port Charlotte Chapel.