Donn Daus
On Nov. 1, 2010, Donn A. Daus’s year long battle with cancer came to an end and he left his home in Fort Myers to make his tee time at the ultimate golf course in Heaven.
Donn moved on to many more rounds of golf up above with no concerns about weather, sand traps, high winds, trees, club choking rough or bumpy greens. He leaves his trusty persimmon driver and his well worn irons and putter behind with his lovely wife and best friend, Julie. She has instructions to send them up if his game ever falters.
Donn Daus entered this world on May 12, 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of Harry and Alberta Daus. Although he never owned up to it, his middle name came from his mom.
Donn excelled in golf in high school and as a student athlete at Rollins College from 1961 to 1965 in Winter Park, Fla.
From 1970 to 1972, he was named Champion of Champions by the Northern Ohio Golf Association for his prowess on the links. He also was a qualifier for the U.S. Open several times. When often asked why he hadn’t turned pro Donn would reply with the smile, “couldn’t see too well and putted worse!” This was demonstrated before his golfing buddies when one year as he was leading the Pabst Blue Ribbon Open at Fort Myers Country Club. He lost the lead when he aimed and putted his ball at a brown spot on the green rather that to the cup which was slightly hidden some 20 feet away.
With a partner, “Downtown” Randy Brown, Donn won Florida’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in the mid-70s. It was Brown that gave him his moniker, “Doctor Daus”, because he was “like a surgeon on the greens. He cut them up with precision.”
Donn also won the Northwest Invitational in Hibbing, Minn. in 1980, rallying from two down with two to go to win the title on the third extra hole. The Calcutta provided a large pay off that year which, as usual, Donn and his investors utilized to throw a big party at the Mesaba Country Club.
After a successful career in commercial real estate in Cleveland, Donn came to Sanibel Island in 1974 for Christmas vacation and never left.
He continued in real estate on Sanibel, first with Priscilla Murphy Realty and then as sales manager of Executive Services, Inc. During Florida’s last real estate boom, he also provided his sales manager expertise to Wildcat Run in Estero, the Sanctuary on Sanibel, and Harbour Isle and Harbour Castle in Fort Myers.
In addition, Donn was a partner in Out Island Properties, Inc. and Hexagon Development when it finalized the build out of Boca Grande North on Gasparilla Island. He also founded and served as broker for his own company which he proudly named and recorded as “The Real Estate Company.”
Donn leaves behind his loving wife, Julie, sister, Jean Krauss of Kirtland, Ohio; son, Keye Daus of Cleveland, Ohio, brothers-in-law, Tom Wesendorf of Fort Myers, and Chris Wesendorf of Sheboygan Falls, Wisc.; daughter-in-law, Lynne Daus and granddaughters, Jordan and McKenna Daus, all of Cleveland, Ohio, and the many friends he made both on the golf course and off.
Donn never met a stranger and was a “friend of the world.” He will be remembered for his love of golf and boating, his jokes both practical and otherwise, his bad bar tricks, his mastery of the game of cribbage, and his never ending sense of humor.
There will be a Memorial Service at the east side of the mid-point of the Sanibel Causeway starting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, 2010.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Hope Hospice, 9470 HealthPark Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908. Friends may sign the guest book at www.horizonfunerals.com.