Don Measel attended Stivers from 1955- 1959 – during which time, he became an all around athlete. Don played both football and baseball, 4 years at Stivers lettering 2 times in each sport. He played basketball 4 years at
Stivers. This was truly his best sport. He was a 2 year starter as a junior and senior on the ‘58 and ’59 teams. As a junior, he was awarded a silver basketball for leading the team in free throw attempts – shooting 67%.
Don followed in the footsteps of the Morgan Brothers – Jim and Mickey – by managing L.I.M. (Lutheran Inner Mission) gym for two years. He often set up metal chairs – as a barrier – around the foul circle, and practiced shooting – day in and day out.
As a senior, he received an award for the most assists on the team. That senior year he led the team in scoring, with a 14.5 point average, stepping-up and filling-in the vacancy left by teammate Paul Ginter’s injury. This season long effort and consistency, earned Don the honor of All City Guard, First Team, by both the Dayton Daily News and the Journal Herald.
After Stivers, he entered the University of Louisville in 1960, and played Basketball one year. In 1961 he transferred to Murray State University, and played another year. Don came back to Dayton, employed by N.C.R., he played AAU basketball, while attending the University of Dayton in 1962. In 1963 Don became a journeyman carpenter – working in that field a few years and building his own house in 1976. He and his family also built a SOLAR home in 1977.
In 1976, Don became a millwright and in 1981, he and his brother, Gordon, started their own company: Pyramid Riggers .. with up to 40 employees. Don became a very successful businessman through hard work and dedication to the company until his untimely death on Sept. 5, 2007 of a massive heart attack. Don and MaLinda McAfee were married in 1962, (45 years) and they had four sons: Eric 1963, Brad 1965, Brian 1968 and Shawn 1972.
