Joseph Donnell "Don" Small, Jr.

Joseph Donnell “Don” Small, Jr., 75, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, February 23, 2021. He was born September 26, 1945 in Montclair, NJ to the late Joseph Donnell Small, Sr. and Jemima Kelly Small. Don graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana in 1967, then joined the military, honorably serving his country in the US Army, seeing combat in Vietnam. He retired as the Director of Manufacturing with bioMerieux, Inc. He was a member of Friendship Baptist Church where he served in many capacities as a deacon, men’s ministry coordinator, singing in the church choir and children’s ministry.

Don is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Elaine Goodman Small; children: Joseph Donnell “Don” Small III and wife April of Wentzville, MO, Rebecca Small of Greenville, SC, James Daniel “Jim” Small and wife Rachel of Wake Forest; grandchildren: Donnie, Stephen, Eliana and Mark Small, Caedmon and Mir Strickler; brother, James Hutchison Small and wife Cheryl of Warsaw, IN; sister, Susan Small High and husband Dennis of Perkasie, PA.

As we look back on his days on earth, the theme of his life is so easy to see.  His focus was singular -- To trust God with all his heart, and acknowledge him in all his ways (Prov 3:5-6). There was no disconnect between his faith in Christ and his daily life.  He made a thousand decisions a day to trust and acknowledge God, and that daily steadiness added up over 75 years to a faithful life.  He loved his Savior most of all.  He shared the Good News of salvation at every opportunity.  He loved God's Word, and read, studied, meditated, and taught it like it was his lifeline - because it was.  He prayed as if that was where all his hope lay - because it was.  He faithfully and joyfully loved his wife for 50 years, and he was the kind of dad we all hope to have.  His life was humble service, and it was his way of relating to everyone - as a deacon at church, as a mentor to young men, in his decades of work with children's ministries, his sacrificial giving and going for missions, and the untold times that he was the one who showed up when something - anything - needed to be done at the church, or for a friend, or for his family.  He did not do any of it to be seen; he did it quietly, because, though we were all blessed by it in ways we can never fully say, he was all the time dong it for Christ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friendship Baptist Church to continue the missions and children’s ministries Don loved so much.         

The Small family will receive relatives and friends from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, Friday, February 26, 2021 at Friendship Baptist Church, 5510 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, February 27, 2021 at Friendship Baptist Church. A private graveside service will be held at Raleigh Memorial Park.

For those planning to attend, please wear a face covering and practice social distancing to ensure everyone’s safety.

For anyone unable to attend, the service will be live streamed and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOuhl5UjX1yNMyhbPfjORtA

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