Donald W. Churilla

Donald W. Churilla of Dyer, IN, formerly of Hammond, IN, passed away on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at the age of 54.

Don is survived by his wife, Danielle Churilla (nee Kingen); their two children, Sydney and Gavin Churilla; mother, Joanne Churilla; father, Dennis (Marilyn) Churilla; brothers Dennis (Heather) Churilla and Dan (Laura) Churilla; father and mother-in-law David and Patricia Kingen; brother-in-law Jim (Jill) Kingen; nieces and nephews, Emily (Noah) Martin, Molly Churilla (Tyler Beemsterboer), Ethan and Chloe Churilla, and Grace and Josh Kingen; great nephews and niece, Beau and Brady Beemsterboer and Roman and Alana Martin; aunt Geri Churilla; and numerous cousins. Preceded in death by his grandparents, Albert and Ethel Churilla and Frank and Helen Brilmyer, uncle Frank Brilmyer, aunt Diane Brilmyer, and aunt Karen Churilla.

Don was born November 23, 1969, in Hammond, Indiana, and was a graduate of Morton High School, class of 1988. He received his bachelors degree in business from the University of Evansville in 1992. He was a dedicated employee of the University of Chicago for more than 30 years. Don was a devoted and loving husband and dad, and a loyal friend. He was known for his expert vacation planning skills and would regularly find weird and random places to visit. He loved watching his kids in their respective sports and activities and could always be found cheering them on at the course or court – binoculars around his neck to watch Sydney run, or phone in hand to keep track of Gavin's tennis scores. He loved playing golf and always looked forward to a Diet Pepsi and a Kit Kat at the turn. He enjoyed playing cards with his friends and often called for a game of the ever-unpopular "screw your neighbor". He proudly retired from Hessville Kenwood Street Wiffle Ball with a record of 308 backyard wins. He had a love for biking that started at the University of Evansville, where he and his friends took 3rd Place in the Big 39 Bicycle Race in 1990. That love of biking later culminated in a 10-day, 333-mile bike trip from Pittsburgh to DC in 2017. He was an avid Pittsburgh sports fan and enjoyed taking trips there to watch them play. He loved the band Rush, hated the beach, always enjoyed the penny slots, and never passed up a girlie drink with an umbrella. He was known for his quick wit and his quiet, dry sense of humor, and could always be counted on for a perfectly-timed one-liner or a really terrible dad joke.

Don was elusive at times. If you heard about him later in life, he seemed like a myth and you might wonder if he really existed. But once you met him, he morphed from myth to legend. He was the kind of person that no one could say a bad word about, and if you were lucky enough to know him, you loved him. He will truly be missed by all those whose lives he touched. His wife, Danielle, thanks all of their family and friends who offered their love and support over the last several months. Visitation Friday, November 1, 2024 from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a service to be held at 7:00 p.m. at Smits Funeral Home, 2121 Pleasant Springs Lane (Rt.30/Pleasant Springs Ln.), Dyer, IN. Entombment Saturday, November 2, 2024. Please meet at Smits Funeral Home at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday for a 9:30 a.m. procession to Calumet Park Cemetery, 2305 W. 73rd Avenue, Merrillville, IN.

For further information, please contact 219-322-7300 or visit our online obituary and guestbook at www.SMITSFH.com