Obituary of Donald Eugene Alguire

Donald Alguire left this world peacefully for his heavenly home, after months of excellent care at the DuBose Health Center at The Cedars of Chapel Hill.

Donald was born in Kalamazoo, MI, and attended schools in Plainwell, MI. Following high school graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1945 and selected to teach cryptography. In 1950, he graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He was soon employed by the city of Lansing at a city water treatment facility. In 1952, he began seven years with the Post Cereal Division of General Foods, Battle Creek, MI. Donald was hired to upgrade manuals and conduct taste tests on new products. A career move in 1957 led him to work in technical service and exploratory research with the Borden Company in Elgin, Illinois. In 1962, his energy, interest and creativity inspired him to accept a new position in Chicago at Griffith Laboratories, Inc. with Dr. Lloyd Hall, who held the patent for sterilization of hospital medical and surgical supplies through the use of ethylene and propylene gases under pressure. After working initially as a Sales Manager, he became President of Micro-Biotrol (later Griffith Micro Science) a Division of Griffith, eventually establishing sterilization treatment centers in 11 countries. Following his retirement, Donald was elected to the Board of Directors of the Balchem Corporation for 10 years.

Donald married the love of his life, Frances M. Werner, on Sept.10, 1949. They are proud parents of daughters Mary F. Papish and Catherine A. Alguire and grandchildren Anna Friedman and husband Jeff Kitchen, Joe Friedman, Erin Vickery, and Jackson Vickery plus great granddaughter Frankie Kitchen. Donald has one living brother, Samuel Alguire (Nancy), plus numerous nieces and nephews in Michigan, Canada, Colorado and New York. The family will celebrate Donald's life at a private family service and thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Should you wish to honor Donald’s memory, please consider a gift to either the Hospice & Palliative Care Center of Alamance Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Rd, Burlington, NC 27216, tel: 336-532-0100 or to UNC Ophthalmology to support Macular Degeneration research. You may give online at http://www.med.unc.edu/ophth/how-can-you-help or send a check made payable to the Medical Foundation of North Carolina, P.O. Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-9981, with “Macular Degeneration Research” on the memo line of your check.