Donald was born on February 18, 1934, in Eugene, Oregon to Melvin and Gladys Hick Draegert. The family moved to Iowa and he attended Marshalltown schools. He also served in the united States Navy. On February 29, 1956, he was married to Mary(Bess) Innis in Kansas and to this union was born two children, Ian and Tanya. He worked for the Firestone Company in Des Moines from 1971 to 1999. Following his retirement he lived at Holiday Lake near Brooklyn. Survivors include his son, Ian Draegert of Des Moines; his daughter Tanya Ellis of Grinnell; and one brother, Leo Draegert of Baxter; and two sisters, Eloner Rutledge of Quarry, Iowa and Linda Clark of Marshalltown. Donald died on march 18, 2008, at Grinnell Regional medical Center in Grinnell, Iowa. He was 74 years of age, and he was preceeded in death by his parents; and two sisters, Lela and Iona