Donald Payson Blanchard

To the sorrow of all who knew him, Donald Payson Blanchard (Don, Donzo, The Don) age 61, died March 11, 2025, after a 5-year battle with colorectal cancer. At the time of his death, Don was a resident of Charlottesville, VA. Don grew up in Greens Farms, CT, where he learned the arts of cooking and catering from his mother, Marjorie Blanchard, a cookbook author. He graduated from Fairfield Country Day School and then the Salisbury School of Salisbury, CT. Growing up he was an avid windsurfer and fisherman. Following high school, he graduated from the Johnson and Wales School in Rhode Island with a culinary/business degree and went on to become a chef at the Sheraton in Newport, where he met his late wife Banta. He then worked in the kitchen at O’Brien’s Pub and sold produce and wine before moving to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They married in 1988 and had their son Sam in 1995. Throughout his 26 years on the Outer Banks, Don’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit shone through and led him to pursue many beautiful and ambitious projects. He was the general contractor and designer for his family’s home in Southern Shores, NC. As a talented woodworker, he built furniture and cultivated elaborate gardens for both vegetables and roses while also pursuing amateur photography. As owner and sole proprietor of Decor-Crete, Inc., he specialized in designing and crafting stunning epoxy concrete flooring, bar tops, and other unique decorative innovations for vacation rental homes and local restaurants. Eventually Don met Kathleen (Kat) who brought new love and laughter to his life. In 2017 the couple moved to Kat’s hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. His final vocation was as the beloved General Manager of ‘In The Kitchen,’ a specialty kitchen supply store located in the center of the popular Strip District. His experiences as a chef and his deep knowledge of fine food and wine made him a favorite consultant to both customers and staff. Sharing his culinary expertise with others was his true passion and he thrived in the joy they all experienced together. Beyond his work, Don showed love to his friends and family with his wonderful cooking. Whether it was a birthday cake, a corn pudding, or a shrimp boil, his dishes were always personal, reflecting his knowledge of the person, sometimes hours of preparation, and his insistence on the best ingredients. He also loved playing golf, spending time with friends at local watering holes, attending small concert venues, visiting wineries with his wife, and traveling; camping and the outdoors brought him great joy. He especially cherished any activity with his son, including their shared passion for watching the Dallas Cowboys and UNC basketball. In April of 2020, Don’s life entered a new chapter when he was diagnosed with cancer. Through five years of difficult treatments, Don continued to show amazing resilience, quiet strength, eccentric humor, and grace that inspired many people, including his caregivers. In the summer of 2023, Don and Kat moved to Charlottesville, VA to be closer to his son, Sam and receive additional treatment options at UVA Couric Cancer Center. Donald is survived by his beloved son, Samuel Upton Blanchard (Angelique Furr), his loving wife Kathleen Diana Blanchard, and his sister Anne Elizabeth Blanchard. He also leaves behind nephews Walker Ingram, Matthew Ingram (Ivy), Luke O’Hare and nieces Cotton Cera (Dan) and Ellen O'Hare. Don will also be deeply missed by his wife’s family, including her son Christopher Back (Claire Coate), siblings Becky Sydeski (Raymond), Jeff Reilly, Jimmy Reilly (Kelly), Jeanne Brook (Steve), and Aunt Joan and Uncle Dale Diebold. Donald was preceded in death by his loving parents Marjorie and Sandy Blanchard, and his grandmother, Marjorie DeLoss Page. All are invited to a Celebration of Life for Don taking place at the Outer Banks on Sunday, April 27th. There will be a paddle-out at Ocean Bay Blvd beach access in honor of Don’s wind-surfing passion starting at 10:30am., followed by a gathering at 12pm in the backyard of the Outer Banks Brewing Station, at which Ruth Wyand will perform. There will also be a small gathering in Pittsburgh at a later date, details to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Outer Banks Relief Foundation (https://obrf.org). An online guestbook is available at www.compassionatecremationva.com Compassionate Cremation Services of Ruckersville, Va is handling the arrangements.

Donald Payson Blanchard

October 12, 1963 - March 11, 2025