Don Childs

Donald B. “Don” Childs, 100, of Omro, Wisconsin, formerly a longtime resident of Davenport, died Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at Country Villa Assisted Living, Omro, Wisconsin.

Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial for Don will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park with military honors. Visitation will be held Saturday in the gathering space at church from 9:30 a.m. until Mass begins. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Our Lady of Victory Foundation.

Donald Bert Childs was born on August 11, 1926, in Davenport, a son of Bert E. and Inez (Killion) Childs. He graduated from Davenport High School in 1944. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps at 17 years old and served from 1945 until 1947, primarily stationed in Panama. Don was united in marriage to Frances Marie Williams on February 15, 1947, in Rock Island. Fran preceded him in death on March 24, 2017, following seventy years of marriage.

Following his discharge, Don went to work at ALCOA and at 28 years of age started Childs Construction, Inc, a home building and land development business specializing in commercial and residential construction.

Don was a charter member of Our Lady of Victory Parish as well as their first trustee. He was great friends with their first pastor, Rev. Ken Martin, who was among his many golfing buddies. Upon Father Martin’s death, he left $1,000 for his golfing buddies to have an outing, and they decided to honor “Father Kenny” by creating an annual event which raised over $300,000 to benefit Scott County K-12 Catholic school students through emergency scholarship grants.

Don was an avid golfer, achieving a hole-in-one on the 8th hole at Duck Creek. At the age of 40, he started running and later was encouraged by his neighbor, Leo Kilfoy, to participate in the Senior Olympics. Don won over 150 medals and participated in the National meet, placing 2nd in the 50, 800, and 1500-meter dash, 3rd in the 400-meter dash, and 4th in the 100-meter dash. He and Fran enjoyed wintering in Florida in the Ft. Myers area for many years and he was a great fan of the Chicago Cubs.

Those left to honor his memory are his daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Mel Busch, Oshkosh, Wisconsin; grandchildren: Chris Busch, Peoria and Dr. Jenny (Anthony) Adamson, Sterling, Illinois and a special friend, Tillie Savala, Davenport.

In addition to his wife, Fran, Don was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ken Childs. May they all rest in God’s eternal peace.