Donald Lehmon Nessmith

Donald L. Nessmith

November 12, 1942 – October 2, 2026

Donald L. “Don” Nessmith, 83, a longtime resident of Bulloch County, passed away on Friday, October 2, 2026 at The Oaks Skilled Care in Vidalia while under the care of hospice.

Don was born November 12, 1942, at Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, Florida, to the late Lehmon Nessmith and Martha Gay Nessmith. He was a class of 1961 graduate of H.V. Jenkins High School in Savannah. He made Bulloch County his home in 1993 and remained a resident there for more than three decades.

He proudly served for 13 years in the Air National Guard as a member of the 117th Tactical Control Squadron, where he attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (TSgt) and was honorably discharged in 1979.

In May 1962, Don began what would become a career of more than 38 years with Union Camp, later International Paper. He started in the Pulp Mill and went on to hold positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career. He served on several leadership and supervisory boards and committees, including the Safety and Health Committee, and later served as Supervisor of Maintenance Support before retiring in December 2000.

Away from work, he found great enjoyment in woodworking. He used his skills to create wooden bowls, paper towel holders, shelves, quilt racks, and many other handcrafted pieces. What began as a pastime grew into many years of traveling to craft shows throughout Georgia, the Tennessee mountains, and other parts of the South to sell his work.

Don married Eloise F. Nessmith on April 10, 1996. Together, they shared nearly 29 years of marriage before her passing on January 8, 2025. Their individual talents often complemented one another. Don enjoyed cutting quilt squares for Eloise to sew, and her finished pieces joined his woodworking at the many craft shows they attended.

The couple especially enjoyed traveling together in their motorhome. Their travels took them from one craft show to the next, through the mountains of Tennessee and communities across the South. Along the way, they enjoyed seeing new places, meeting people from many different backgrounds, and sharing the handcrafted work they created.

Don is survived by his children, Deborah Stafford (Timothy) of Albany and Brent Nessmith (Opal) of Statesboro; grandchildren, Robert Miles (Allison) of Perry, Shelby Rempel (Robert) of Statesboro, and Andrew Nessmith (Ashley) of Statesboro; great-grandchildren, Amelia, Alex, Pasleigh, Connor, and Addie; and brothers, Gary Nessmith (Jackie) of Savannah and Bill Nessmith (Ressie) of Alabama.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise F. Nessmith, and his parents, Lehmon Nessmith and Martha Gay Nessmith.

There will be no formal visitation or funeral service. Don will be cremated, and his remains will be privately interred at Eastside Cemetery in Statesboro at a later date, where he will be laid to rest alongside his wife, Eloise, and his parents.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

— Psalm 23:6

Low Country Cremation and Burial has the honor to serve the Nessmith family.