Obituary of Donald C. Pote
February 23, 1933 – April 5, 2025
Donald C. Pote, a brilliant engineer, loving husband, devoted father, and inventive spirit, passed away on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, New Jersey. He was 92 years old. A man of quiet strength, deep intellect, and unshakable devotion to his family, Donald’s life was marked by integrity, resilience, and a remarkable ability to turn challenges into opportunities for love and growth.
Born on February 23, 1933, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Donald was the son of the late Clarence and Gustina Pote. He grew up in Hackensack, where his hard work and discipline were evident from a young age. At Hackensack High School, Donald excelled both in the classroom and on the football field, earning recognition as an All-County center on the varsity football team. His combination of academic excellence and athletic ability earned him admission to Princeton University, where he graduated with a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering as a proud member of the Class of 1955.
It was during the latter half of his college days that he met his sweetheart and best friend, Joan Floyd. The two met in 1953 at Sears in Hackensack, NJ. After a four-year courtship, Donald and Joan were married in 1957, strengthening a partnership that would last more than 72 years.
Following his graduation from Princeton, Donald answered the call to serve his country and joined the United States Air Force. During his time in service, he was stationed in Texas, Illinois, and Spokane, Washington—experiences that broadened his worldview and deepened his sense of purpose. Joan would join Don on the military bases in Illinois and Spokane, as they began their married lives together.
After his 1959 honorable discharge from the Air Force as a Captain in the Reserves, Donald and Joan settled in Mountainside, New Jersey in 1962, and later made their home in Watchung, where they would reside for over 50 years. In 1959, Donald began a long and distinguished career in engineering, quality, and executive management with AT&T Western Electric and Bell Communications Research. Through dedication, vision, and leadership, he rose through the ranks, working in locations such as Kearny, New York City, Mountainside, and Springfield, ultimately retiring in 1991 as an Assistant Vice President in Executive Management at Bell Communications in Morristown. His 32-year career left a lasting impression on colleagues and the telecommunications industry alike.
But Donald’s most meaningful accomplishments were found not in the boardroom, but in his home. He was a deeply devoted husband and father, always present, always engaged. His steadfastness was never more evident than in the wake of a life-altering moment—when his son Jeffrey was struck by a car at just seven years old. In an era when many fathers stepped aside during times of crisis, Donald stepped forward. He and Joan spent countless hours at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, supporting Jeffrey every step of the way. Donald used his engineering brilliance not for accolades, but to improve his son’s quality of life — designing custom-built levers, therapeutic exercises, and assistive devices that made a tangible difference in Jeffrey’s daily routine.
His experience as a father and advocate also led him to volunteer with the Union County Society for Handicapped Children and Adults, where he dedicated himself to helping other families in similar situations. Donald, while in Watchung, was also an active member of several Watchung volunteer committees, including Environmental, Wildlife Management, CERT, and Road Assessment. Don was also a very strong patron of Watchung’s library.
Donald’s creativity and hands-on brilliance weren’t confined to his career or caregiving. He loved the outdoors and took great pride in his garden and lawn. He didn’t just mow the grass -- he once built a lawnmower tractor inside the family’s living room. That same living room also served as a greenhouse of sorts, where Donald, for a couple of years, started the season’s vegetables. He also constructed and installed a dozen solar panels at a time when residential solar panels were not mainstream. He even helped his kids with high school science experiments using as a “hothouse” their large living room windows.
The Pote household was filled with the fruits of his intellect—from hand-assembled televisions to lovingly cultivated gardens, everything Donald touched bore the imprint of innovation and love.
Above all, Donald lived for his family. He is survived by his best friend and beloved wife of 68 years and a source of strength, Joan Floyd Pote; his sons, Jeffrey Pote; and Stephen Pote; and his daughter, Debbie Melillo and her husband, Joel. He was a proud grandfather to Jennifer Pote-Sevilla and her husband, Jose Sevilla, and to Jamie Melillo and Dante Melillo. He also leaves behind one great-grandson, Myles Pote-Sevilla, who will one day hear stories of the great mind and heart that shaped the Pote family.
Funeral services will be scheduled at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donald’s memory to the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey—a place that held profound meaning in his life and the life of his family.
Donald Pote was a man of substance and grace, whose legacy will live on through the lives he touched, the family he cherished, and the example he set. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.
