Donald Pfaff Jr.

In the quiet of his home, surrounded by family and his beloved dog, Brutus, Donald "Pete" Earl Pfaff, Jr. passed away on March 20, leaving behind cherished memories. Born in Frostburg, Maryland on May 10, 1958, Pete was proceeded in death by his parents, Donald Earl Pfaff, Sr. and Mary Jane (Wright) Pfaff, and a brother-in-law, Brian Malloy.

Pete graduated from Beall High School in Frostburg, MD in 1976. He was a machinist master welder by trade, working at Thermogage, Inc. in Frostburg until its closure. Pete went on to work at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in Rocket Center, WV, where he was employed by several contractors until his retirement.

Pete had a deep passion for the outdoors, spending countless hours outside. Whether he was hunting, fishing, riding his motorcycle, walking or biking long distances, he found peace in nature. Pete studied martial arts, achieving a brown belt in Taekwondo. He also appreciated the finer things in life, such as cold Yuengling on the back porch and cookie dough blizzards from Dairy Queen.

Pete is survived by his wife of forty years, Rae Ann, who throughout Pete's illness was the embodiment of unconditional love and care, not only as his wife, but as a tireless caretaker. This commitment allowed Pete to continue to enjoy not only his dignity, but quiet evenings on the back porch, long rides in the car, and the companionship of his dog in his final weeks. He is also survived by his daughter Evin (Ryan) of Bedford, PA. The pride Pete had in Evin, her artistic talent, and the business she built was immeasurable. Their shared love for the outdoors will forever be reflected in her, ensuring Pete's legacy of adventure and appreciation of nature lives on.

Pete is also survived by one sister, Lorraine Herndon (Robert) of Martinsburg, WV, Lorraine's sons, Jeremy and Terry; brother-in-law, Patrick Malloy (Mark) of New York, NY; sister-in-law, Susie Malloy of Ellerslie, MD; and niece, Breana Malloy (Brett) of Kensington, MD. Pete was also "Pete Claus" to a very special great nephew, Carson. Pete enjoyed getting Carson wound up and watching him play. Carson had the ability to bring out Pete's patience and silliness, something we all appreciated.

Pete was diagnosed with a variant of Alzheimer's Disease, Posterior Cortical Atrophy in 2021. Life changed dramatically over the next four years, but what was constant was his friendships. Pete's family would like to thank everyone who took the time to keep in touch, keep Pete in their thoughts, and visit with him. A special thank you to Craig for making it possible for Pete to continue to go for rides; Denny for spending time with Pete; Susie "Q" for being the neighbor that's like family; Tom and Debbie for helping with caretaking tasks, odd jobs around the house, and continuing our double date nights as long as possible; Jane who went above and beyond as a member of the UPMC Hospice Team; Dena for her kindness and cooking; UPMC Hospice Services and Dr. Caryn Amedee of Sandstone Primary Care whose compassion and empathy made a difference in our lives. Your support is deeply appreciated and will never be forgotten.

Pete was Catholic, and in accordance with his wishes, services will be held privately. The family invites all who knew and loved him to share their memories and express their condolences by sending them cards in the days to come. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association at https://www.alz.org/ in Pete's name.