Donald "Don" R Fairbairn's Obituary
Donald R. (Don) Fairbairn, 67, of Fort Myers, Florida, died suddenly on January 24, 2023. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 7, 1955, to James P. and Amanda Nette Stauffer Fairbairn. His parents and paternal grandparents, Peter and Harriet Bauman Fairbairn, who retired and resided in Fort Myers for many years, preceded him in death as did his maternal grandparents, Walter E. Stauffer and Carol Wendorf Stauffer.
Don graduated from Michigan State University in 1977 with a Business Degree (B.A.) majoring in Personnel Management. He also completed post-graduate courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. Several years into his career, Don earned three certifications: one as an SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources by the Society of Human Resource Management) and both a CCP and CBP (Certified Compensation Professional and Certified Benefits Professional from World at Work). Don Fairbairn has had a career in Human Resources spanning over 25 years, heading HR for organizations having as many as 19,000 employees, including several companies in the Washington D.C., area. He then retired to Fort Myers in 2015, where he enjoyed golfing and traveling with his wife of 44 years.
He is survived by his wife Mary Catherine (Cathy) Lehman Fairbairn, of Fort Myers, and their children, Mary Corinne (Cori) Fairbairn Helmer [married to Gabriel Jisu Helmer] of Ashburn, Virginia, and Ryan James Fairbairn of Denver, Colorado; and two brothers, Gary C. Fairbairn of Rome, Pennsylvania, and Peter D. Fairbairn (married to Margaret Longthorne Fairbairn) of Bushkill, Pennsylvania.
Visitation will be at 10 am at the Catholic Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 8121 Cypress Lake Drive Fort Myers, FL 33919 on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, followed by a Traditional Latin Requiem High Mass at 11 am. Immediately following Mass there will be a reception in the parish hall of the church, and interment will follow at 2 pm at the Cemetery of Fort Myers Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Corpus Christi Chapel, Building Fund, 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, Florida, 34120. The funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, (239) 243-0014.
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