Donald Stephen Dreher
September 11, 1951 ~ December 21, 2024
Donald Stephen Dreher, 73, passed away peacefully at home on December 21, 2024, in McDonough, Georgia.
Don was born on September 11, 1951, in Concord, Massachusetts, to Stephen and Beverly (Brown) Dreher.
He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Maria; his children, Cory (Christina), Matthew, and Jaclyn (Clay Barr). His siblings, Dan (Laurie), Doug (Carol), Liz, and Diane, hold fond memories of growing up together in a large, close-knit family. Don is also survived by many cherished extended family members.
After spending his early years in Massachusetts, Don moved to Pennsylvania, where he eventually met Maria. The two married and lived in Fort Myers, Florida, before settling in McDonough, Georgia, in 1997. That same year, Don founded his business, Shadow Signs, in McDonough, beginning his entrepreneurial journey at Clay Plaza on the Square.
Don’s favorite moments were those spent with his family, enjoying laughter and playful banter. He loved fishing, golfing, and sharing a good cigar with friends.
Known for his quick wit, kind heart, and creative spirit, Don will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
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My sincerest condolences to Maria and her family. We are neighbors,we moved next door to them in 2016. We got to know each other in the last few years. Don & my husband James talked on the phone occasionally. Maria made us a cheese cake when we moved in. We remind each other about little things like pulling our garbage cans in or for me to pull down my garage door🥰 When we go out of town we would let each other know. I will keep the family in prayers. Maria and I will continue to look out for each other.❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽
My Sincere Condolences to the Entire Dreher Family. In these pictures you can all see we’ve known each other a very long time. Much Love has been shared between our families from Concord to Acton to Lexington and Liz and I are still like brothah and sistah. May Don rest in Eternal Peace, forever.
My Love to each of you,
Dave Rich
I am friends with and went to High School with Donald’s son Cory. I remember we all went to see a Blink 182 concert once and Donald came. I was probably 17 or 18 at the time. That was the first time I met him. Fast forward many years later and Cory had let his dad know that I fix small dents and dings on cars and Donald had a Dodge Challenger that he needed repaired. He really liked that car I could tell. We met up for the repair and talked about the memories we had of the concert and of me and Cory playing guitars as kids. He told me Cory was running the sign shop and I could tell he was very proud of him and the job he was doing I only spoke with him one other time, also while repairing his car, and it was obvious he was a cheerful person and loved his family.
What a great man, always positive, always smiling. Will be truly missed
Don was a great guy! When he bought Graphix Screen Printing, I was already working there as the graphics guy. Don became a boss and a friend. Rest easy, Don!
Don was like a brother to me… A Great guy to work for and with. Even though I haven’t seen him in a few years because of life changes. I think of him often. He was always so nice and a very good friend to me. They don’t come like him anymore. I am honored to have known him and be friends with him and his beautiful family. He will be greatly missed!
I met Don while playing an online game. I knew him as Hury321. I asked him how he came to choose that name and he told me that he was ALWAYS in a hurry and it only made sense to to add a countdown to his favorite thing, which was GO! We were friends for several years and our friendship went from online to “real world” on Facebook. My husband and I even met Don and Marie for lunch one day. It’s a good memory.
So Hury, I bring you good wishes, thoughts and prayers from our Fellowship. Rest in peace and go with God my friend.
Until we meet again.
Becca2bee
I remember a Halloween when we lived next door in Lithonia. Don was sitting in a chair at his front door as a stuffed scarecrow. When the kids came up to get candy he jumped out at them! that was awesome! Scared the bageezy’s out of me!
He also helped us find my daughter Maggie’s first car. The booger mobile! Maria will remember that💕 Then the time he couldn’t make my 70th birthday because he wasn’t feeling well cos of chemo. I went to visit Maria and Don. They both came out in their 1950s costumes singing a 50s song! That was awesome! There’s also other memories that I probably shouldn’t post. 😆 He was a fun loving man. we will miss him. I love you Maria my friend. I’m here when you need me
I still remember the first time I met Don. It was my first time visiting Cory from Las Vegas, and I was a little nervous about meeting his family. I had heard so much about them. We met at Gritz on the Square for breakfast, and as soon as I walked in, there he was—Don, with a warm smile that immediately made me feel at ease. His dry sense of humor was unmistakable, and it didn’t take long for me to relax. I could see exactly where Cory got his easygoing nature and sense of humor from. I felt so welcomed, like I was already part of the family. Over time, getting to know Don has been a true gift. I’m so grateful to call him my father-in-law.
All Though I didn’t know Don for very long, he always had a smile on his face and his loving heart showed through and his humor, my deepest sympathy maria and family for your loss he will be dearly missed and will always be in our hearts.
Maria,
We did not have the pleasure of knowing Don, but we wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you and your family. You are forever etched in our hearts and our memories of Ash’s childhood. No doubt, Don was an amazing man, married to an amazing woman.
The Mead Family
Maria.
I want to share this with you because I have told this story many, many times with people I play golf with.
I don’t know if Don ever told you this story but, I remember it plain as day.
Don, Tom ?, and I were playing a round, Don and Tom riding together in a cart. Tom driving.
We were on what was then, hole #8, and had just hit our second shots to the green. Don and Tom start down the cart path, which was a hill, (going a little faster than they should have been) and while making a curve at the bottom, somehow turned the cart over, nearly ending up in a huge, rock-filled drainage ditch! Golf clubs were flying everywhere, golf balls, most everything loose in the cart.
When I reached them, I was certain one or both were seriously hurt. The first voice I heard was Don cussing, both he and Tom crawling out of the cart, which was on its side. I didn’t think Tom was hurt, but was not sure about Don, Fortunately, neither had a mark on them, so we got the cart upright, and like true golfing nuts, finished the hole.
Don and I played a ton of golf together and I enjoyed every single minute of it. He put up with my bad golf, and he always wanted to drive, with no argument! I also credited him with helping sell a rental house because he made a sign I placed in the yard, and within a week, it sold.
I got a text from him a couple of years ago after we had moved to Kentucky, congratulating me on a big Kentucky win in football. I was touched that he remembered.
The one thing I always will remember is that he loved you and the kids very, very much.
Richard Lenox
Don and his family have been a part of our family for close to 40 years! Memories go way back starting with playing board games on Friday nights, while the kids made forts in the basement. Fishing, camping, cruises, and concerts are just a few of the adventures we did together.
Way back when our kids were young, we would go camping. When we would camp, we would CAMP! We absolutely did it right! One night, a thunderstorm hit while the kids were asleep in their tents. What did we do?! We did the obvious! We clung to the metal pole of the umbrella on the table all while the tents and sleeping bags were getting soaked! We were hanging on, but the kiddos just slept straight through it!
Another one of our favorites was earlier this year when we went to The Guess Who concert. Don insisted on having a cocktail at the hotel’s lounge. The bar is empty for about ten minutes and one by one the band and roadies come in. We were there for a couple of hours. It was just us and them! Needless to say, a GREAT time was had by all!
We had many many laughs together and he will forever be in our hearts.
Carolyn and Jeff
To my Dear, Dear Friend!!! Your presence will surely be missed!!! Especially during our smoke sessions on weekends sharing the different brands if cigars we had found.
I Thank God For Putting You In My Path To be My Good Friend!
Thank you for the cherished memories!!!
Sleepy
I first met Don in 9 th grade at Lexington High.
I am guessing Don rarely shared the fact he was a Latin student his freshman year under the watchful eye of Mr. MacElearney. We were required to say the Pledge of Allegiance in Latin before each class. I was awkward, gangly, shy and self conscious. Don was friendly, hilariously funny, fun loving and nice to everyone in that class. My sister, Kathy, became a good friend of Dana. I remember when the family moved out of state.
My sincere condolences to the entire family. I will always remember Don as the adorable little blond boy in Latin class who made me laugh.
Maria, It’s hard to believe that we have known each other for about 25 years. I have always enjoyed our meetings. Don was quite a character and kept me on my toes.
In the last few years, Don and Gary met at the Cigar store. Gary was so surprised to know that I already knew you and Don. He really enjoyed seeing Don for a good cigar and great conversation.
Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Don’t hesitate to let me know if I can help you and your family. Love you! Denise
Hi Mrs. Dreher this is Lucy I am sorry for your loss. I hope you and your family can find peace in the coming days with lots of good memories. Love,
Lucy and Leanne
It is always sad to hear the news of someone who has played an important role in your life has died. That is tonight for me. I was just sitting around a fire pit at home with my wife and we were talking about old jobs we’ve had and our favorite bosses and that made me bring up good old Don Dreher.
I met Don around 1993 when I was 18 and Don was in his early 40s. Here I am now older than he was when I met him or the entire time I knew him. He hired me to work with him and his business of applying graphics onto big rigs; Shadow Sport Trucks. We were “stripers” (not strippers) as we would apply large stripes and rad designs on both new and used 18 wheeler trucks, to give them more curb appeal and to help the dealerships sell them.
Don hired me solely over the phone one day. He needed help, I needed work, and one evening I drove from Lawrenceville GA to Forest Park, GA to meet up with him for my first day of work. Per his instructions I looked for a red Ford Ranger with a camper and a mustached blonde man. I found him, we shook hands and went to work. Don started training me right away and it was a late night but afterwards I knew I found a good job and would be working for a good man.
Don and I worked together for years. Within that time I watched him move from Lithonia to McDonough, open a sign business and expand. An old friend of his named Jeff started striping trucks with us, then another old friend of his named Chuck started traveling as a salesman, drumming up work for us, then another guy later joined too. Don and I traveled to adjoining states to stripe trucks. First time I ever had French onion soup was with Don on one of our trips. I was a kid really. Don was smart and he and I really got along. We made each other genuinely laugh…. A LOT!
At the end of the 1st year I worked for him he gifted me a cordless drill for Xmas. I gifted him a gift card to a steakhouse but also a free babysitting coupon so he and his lovely wife could go out together.
I met his 3 kids, two boys and a girl. I remember playing with them, allowing the boys to jump on and wrestle me and finally at end of night, reading a book to them but only the baby girl was interested in that. She was cute and sweet and cuddled up with me as she nodded off. She was a tiny thing but she liked me reading to her and made me think that I wanted a child too one day. It got late & the boys were still hyper, especially the oldest who was mischievous & funny. The middle boy seemed strong willed and tough. Great kids though, all of them really different from one another with their personalities. They were loved by their great parents.
Sadly I just learned of Don’s passing a moment ago and sorry to ramble but I had just told my wife that I was going to look up Don and go visit him. I wanted to tell him that I feel that meeting him when I did impacted my life profoundly. See, Don was entrepreneurial and so am I. Seeing an entrepreneur make it work on any level gives inspiration and confidence. I’ve started and sold two businesses and working on a third. Don is partially why. Unknowingly at the time for the both of us – Don was a mentor to me.
I respected Don, l admired how sharp and direct he was, his wit and humor connected with me, he was intelligent and stood up for himself.
I always liked Don and wanted him to know that I actually think of him a lot. I wish I could have seen him again. I really hope his family finds a healing peace and surrounds themselves with love and gratitude for the time they had. I know he really loved his wife and kids and he will be remembered by many. Rest In Peace, Boss.
Love,
Michael Wallace