Obituary of Donald Daborn

Donald Daborn, 75, of West Orange passed away on Tuesday October 18 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey.

Born in Englewood, New Jersey, to George and Ida Daborn (nee Laporta), he was the younger brother of Larraine.    He attended Bergenfield High School, where he excelled at academics, was on the wrestling team and was named a National Merit Scholar.

He attended Seton Hall University where he majored in Education and met the love of his life, Bernadette Venditti.  After college, he entered the Peace Corp and was stationed in the Philippines. When he returned, he and Bernadette were married and they just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary at a surprise party Donald arranged for Bernadette.  

A devoted teacher, Donald taught in the Newark School system and then taught eighth grade at Pierepont Elementary School in Rutherford, New Jersey.  He retired in 2010. He also was a favorite track coach at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Maywood.  Donald, called “Muskie” by friends and family, gave freely of time in retirement as a volunteer ESL teacher.  

Donald and Bernadette lived in West Orange for more than forty happy years.  They loved their trips to Cape Cod and together they also took many trips with their extended family, including Emma and Luke, their niece and nephew.  They visited Europe, Alaska, and the Northwest and Southwest, where Donald chronicled the trips with his many photos, capturing many family moments, nature, and beautiful sunsets.

Donald was loved by so many, including his former students many of whom kept in touch with him and his group of college friends from Seton Hall.

He is survived by his wife Bernadette Daborn (nee Venditti) his siser Lairane Kensicki and her husband Richard of  Milford, Pa, their sons, Bill Rawson. and Jim Rawson and great niece, Bailey, and brother in law and Anthony and wife Paula of Chatham, and his nephew, Luke Venditti and niece Emma Pallay (nee Venditti) and husband Matthew and great-nephew Montgomery James Pallay.

Friends and family will be welcome at Dangler Funeral Home in West Orange on Tuesday October 24 from 3 to 7.