Donald Leslie Settle

Donald Leslie Settle, 96, of Mount Airy, MD, passed away quietly at home on the evening of Monday, July 14, 2025, leaving an amazing legacy of adventures for several generations of children, family and friends.

Born March 22, 1929 to Leslie Franklin Settle and Carolyn Muriel Blanz, Mr. Settle was raised during the depression era in the Northeast area of Washington, DC and across the District line in Prince George's County, MD. Mr. Settle learned at an early age the value of hard work and was proud to earn his way by delivering newspapers, and selling magazines and war bonds. He also worked for well-known photographers, Harris & Ewing. Mr. Settle retired from the Bell System - Western Electric Company and AT&T - as a PBX telephone system cableman/installer after 31 years of service in the mid-1980s.

Mr. Settle was extremely proud to have served as a seaman in the U.S. Navy, 1951-1955, where he traveled on the U.S.S. Valcour on the Persian Gulf Cruise (sea duty) with ports of call throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. He visited Rome where he met Pope Pius, crossed the Equator, traveled into Africa where he ate Rattlesnake and rode camels. But, it was when he received a special TDY assignment at Andrews Airforce Base working in the Special Documents Office and an airplane mechanic’s assistant, that he developed a special fascination with flight. Though Mr. Settle could have accepted a second four-year tour of duty in Brazil, it was at the time he met and courted his soulmate, Shirley, a country girl from Bluefield, WV. He left the Navy to marry her in August 1955 to enjoy nearly 64 years together before her passing in July 2019. The two raised their four children (including one adopted son) plus some 14 foster children who they considered their own in Rockville, MD, taking them on adventures camping across the United States, from foothills of the Appalachians to the Rockies, and coastline of the Atlantic. It was the cabin on Bear Mountain in Adams County, PA, that they were able to escape every weekend with the kids for over 20 years. They also built a cabin on his son Don’s land at the base of Sleepy Creek Mountain nearby Shanghai, WV.

In their golden years, the two took many road-trips traversing the "lower 48", north to Alaska, Canada, south to Mexico, and traveled off-the mainland to the Hawaiian Islands. They enjoyed over 35 cruises which set sail to such places as the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Caribbean Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Central America, United Kingdom, and Spain, Italy, Morocco and France.

When they stopped traveling, Mr. Settle found his other soulmate, Tubby, a one-year-old Fox Terrier/Chihuahua mix at the Berkeley County WV Humane Society in November 2011. Together, they aged in place until she was 15 and were constant companions until she crossed the rainbow bridge just four days before his death. Mr. Settle is survived by his sister, Carol Inguanti, her children and grandchildren; daughter, Alice Doneen Settle-Raskin and her husband, Larry; his daughter-in-laws, Becki Settle and Sue Settle; plus Lorene Star Lawson and her husband, Bill; Donna Bedenbaugh; Janet Mertz, Michael Mertz and wife, Cindy; Butch Money and his wife, Rayann; Charles and Timothy Brown; plus Gary, Charles and Anita. He’s survived by many generations of grandchildren including Michael and Kim LeLeux, Jessica Andrews and Matthew Raskin, Nicole Settle Heinecke; Angela Dennis; Cathleen Purcell; Scotty, Karen, and Kelly Bradshaw; Katie and Jonathan Bedenbaugh; great grandchildren, Aliza and Dianna LeLeux; Jordan Caroline Pierce; Kristen Welch; David, Hope, Dominique and Marquel Bradshaw; and great-great grandchildren, Allison Diane Sawyer, Kristina and Mason Welch, and generations of cherished family members, nieces, nephews and close friends.

Mr. Settle was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie Franklin Settle and Carolyn Muriel Blanz, his sister, Priscilla Settle; brother-in-law, Noble Inguanti; his wife, Alice Shirley (Kidd) Settle, daughters, Dianna Marnett (Scott) LeLeux, Gail Brann, and Christine Dove; sons, Donald Leslie Settle, John Leslie Settle and Gurney Kay Blanton; son-in-law, Herb Brann; grandsons, Shawn Brann and Dustin Mertz; great granddaughter, Danielle Dawn LeLeux; niece, Janice Becraft; his best friend friend, Joe D. Simmons; and his four-pawed best friend, his dog, Tubby.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM on Friday, July 18, at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, where services will be held on Saturday, July 19, at 11:00 AM. Interment will immediately follow at Resthaven Memorial Gardens, 9501 Catoctin Mountain Highway (US 15 North) Frederick, MD. Reverend Jim Skillington of Morgan Chapel UMC will officiate and local folk musician, Steven Gellman, will accompany the service with a few songs. A gathering of family and friends will follow at Mr. Settle’s home in Mount Airy.