Donald William Rounds, 91, of Warwick, died Wednesday, May 3, 2019 at West View Nursing Home in West Warwick. He was the beloved husband of the late Rosemary (Selby) Rounds.
Born in Warwick, he was a son of the late Lewis and Emily (Hart) Rounds. A United States Navy veteran, Don was an auto mechanic by trade, starting out working for his father, Lewis, at the Apponaug Garage. He continued his career at H.P. Hood and Sons and Ocean State Dairy until his retirement.
A Rhode Island pioneer in stock car racing, Don started out at the Kingston Fairgrounds Race Track in 1947. He won his first feature event in April 1951 at the Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut driving the brand new number “101” coupe that he would become known for. His career in racing spanned four decades in which he won feature events in six different states. His achievements on the track culminated with his 2001 induction into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame. He was the 31st person inducted into the hall that now has well over 250 inductees.
In 1947 Don married Rosemary Selby and started a family. They had four loving children: Cathy Waldron (George), Claudia Bliss (Jeff), Donnie (Janice Shaw) and Ted (Kim Walker), eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Don is also survived by three sisters, Muriel Linden (Calvin), Elaine Mitchell and Mary Lou Meunier (Leo); two brothers, Louie Rounds and Joe Rounds; and a sister-in-law, Lena Spagnola. Donald is also survived by his long-time feline companion, “Bucky Rounds.” He was predeceased by his siblings, Harold Rounds, John Rounds and Shirley Ventura.
His funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 8 at 12 noon in Urquhart-Murphy Funeral Home, 800 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 8 from 10 a.m.-12 noon. Burial with military honors will follow in Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, 301 South County Trail, Exeter. For information and guest book visit www.murphyfuneralhomes.org.
