Donald R. Seifel, Sr.

Donald R. Seifel, Sr., of Farmington, Connecticut and formerly of New Britain, Wethersfield, Avon and Cromwell, Connecticut was taken home to his Lord and Savior on May 2, 2025.  He was predeceased by his beloved wife of fifty-one years, Marilyn as well as his parents, Albert and Henrietta Seifel, three brothers, Harold, Richard and Larry Seifel and his sister Caroline Nyack.  He is survived by his older brother Norman Seifel.  He is also survived by his son, Donald R. Seifel, Jr., his daughter, Lori Rohm and her husband Phil and his daughter, Lynn Kaufman and her husband Bob.  He was also survived by his six grandchildren, Kirstin Coffman, Karl Dinkler, Kenneth Kaufman, Kevin Kaufman, Kristen Nielsen and Megan Nielsen along with eight great-grandchildren.

He graduated from New Britain High School in 1948.   He joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1951 and was called into active duty in 1952 and served in the US Navy as a Quartermaster on the USS Vogelgesang during the Korean War.  Following his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1953 he attended the University of Connecticut where he graduated in 1955 with a BS degree in Engineering.  After meeting at their friends' wedding where both were in the wedding party as a groomsman and bridesmaid, nine months later he married the love of his life,  Marilyn Carlson, on April 2, 1955.  Following graduation, he embarked in a career as a plastics engineer and served on the Presidential Commission of Weights and Measure.   In 1969 he started his own business, Plastic Engineering & Manufacturing Co. on John Downey Drive, New Britain, which manufactured blow molds for plastic bottles many of which are well known to the public, Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo and Windex.

After retiring in 1993 after a successful twenty-four years running his business, Don and Marilyn enjoyed 13 years of retirement.  He was an avid golfer and world traveler and Don and Marilyn enjoyed many cruises together.  He was active in the leadership and fundraising efforts at both Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin, CT and Valley Baptist Community Church in Avon, CT.  He was a quiet man of faith, devoted to his God, his family and his country but his greatest legacy was one of love, faith and service as well as an incredible work ethic which was instilled and passed on to his family.  While he was a successful entrepreneur, businessman and investor, his greatest pride and greatest accomplishments were his three children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

The family wants to extend their thanks and gratitude to all the staff at Middlewoods in Farmington for all the loving care they provided especially in the last few weeks.

Calling hours will be held at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 S. Main Street, New Britain, Connecticut from 5 – 8 pm Friday, May 9.  A Memorial Service will be held at Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin, Connecticut on Saturday, May 10 at 1:30 pm.  Burial will be private in Fairview Cemetery, New Britain.  In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations in his memory be made to the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, 223 North Lime Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602 as well as the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75231.