Eugene Melvin DiDonato

Eugene Melvin DiDonato, 83, of Akron, unexpectedly passed away in the afternoon of Friday, August 14, 2026. After enjoying a typical day at home, which included spending the afternoon on his patio watching family members swim in his backyard pool, he quickly entered eternal rest.

The youngest of seven children, Eugene was born on April 3, 1943, in Akron, Ohio, to Leopold and Beatrice DiDonato. Eugene was a proud graduate of Garfield High School, Class of 1961, and The University of Akron, Class of 1965. After completing ROTC at the University of Akron, he served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army from 1966-1968. His service took him to Fort Drum, Fort Dix and Korea. Following his military service, he returned home to Akron and began working for Firestone from 1968 to 1977. In 1977, Eugene became a State Farm insurance agent based in Ellet, where he spent over thirty-five years serving his policy holders.

As a lifelong resident of Akron, Eugene believed in giving back to his community. For many years, he brought joy to the residents of St. Edward's nursing home in Fairlawn by visiting patients as Santa Claus. He was a member of the Akron Optimist Club, TEEM Organization, and Silver League Softball. Eugene was a lifelong parishioner at St. Paul's Catholic Church, where his faith was demonstrated by being active as a coach in CYO, a volunteer for many events, and practicing his faith which he modeled to his family and friends.

Eugene's lifelong hobby focused on sports. As a young man, he often played various sports, including club soccer while a student at the University of Akron. As a parent, he coached his children and their teams and attended all his children's games through their high school and college careers. Then, as a grandparent, he attended many sporting events of his grandchildren, and when he became physically limited, he loved to follow their games on the computer. He was a lifelong fan of the Browns, Cavs, and Cleveland baseball, as well as the University of Akron athletics and other local college and high school teams. Everyday, he could be found reading the Akron Beacon Journal. He also loved listening to music from the 50's and 60's, as evident by his extensive record collection, numerous CDs, and love of Neil Diamond.

Eugene leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, family, friendship and laughter. He taught his children and grandchildren a strong work ethic, a love of learning, and a deep sense of family pride. He loved his lifelong home community of Akron, the United States, and his Italian ancestry. Eugene and his family would like to give a special thank you to all of his wonderful caregivers over the last couple of years.

Eugene is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-five years, Bonnie; his children, Beth (Jay) Dobkowski, Mark (Fran) DiDonato, and Gina (Bob) Kubec; and his grandchildren, Jacob, Alex, Nicholas, Lucas, Beatrice, Elijah, and Isaac. He also leaves behind his brother, Robert DiDonato; mother-in-law, Mildred Bender; brothers-in-law, Bob Bookwalter and Mike (Lisa) Bookwalter; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Eugene was preceded in death by his parents, Leopold and Beatrice DiDonato; and his siblings, Mary, Tony, Rudy, Maxine DiDonato, and JoAnne Staats.

Eugene's life will be celebrated with calling hours at Anthony Funeral Home, 1990 S. Main Street, Akron, Ohio, on Friday, August 21, 2026 from 5 to 7pm, with a rosary at 6:45 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 1580 Brown Street, Akron, Ohio, on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 1pm. Burial will immediately follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Charity Six Foundation, 2182 Palm Road, Suffield , OH, 44260, Attn: Mike Wohlwend.