Donald Francis Boden

Donald Boden passed away peacefully at his home in Mariner Sands, Stuart, Florida, on January 7, 2026, with his loving wife, Linda, and his children, Meredith and Ryan, by his side.

Don was born in Manhattan, New York, on November 21, 1945, to George Boden and Mary Harrington Boden. He grew up in Wantagh, Long Island, as the middle of three boys, alongside his older brother George and younger brother Bobby. They each excelled in both academics and athletics, and would push, love, and support each other throughout their lives. Don attended Chaminade High School in Garden City, NY, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, MD, and later completed his MBA at Adelphi University in Long Island City, NY.

Don began his career at Grumman Aerospace during the space race, where his handwritten calculations contributed to the success of lunar missions, immortalizing his name on a plaque resting on the moon’s surface. He later transitioned to medical sales and marketing, working for C.R. Bard, NAMIC, Pfizer, and JHK Investments. His work in international cardiovascular sales took him across Virginia, California, Massachusetts, and New York, giving his family a life full of travel and adventure. A dedicated professional, Don was admired for his intelligence, work ethic, and leadership.

Don loved almost any sport. He lettered in soccer and track in college and became an avid softball player, tennis player, and golfer later in life. A fierce competitor known for his speed and quickness, he could chase down any ball on the field or court or sink a 40-foot putt to miraculously win the hole. Despite this drive and tenacity, what he really cherished was enjoying a cold beer with his friends post-match…but only if it was after 5:00 pm. If you were lucky, he might just sing you a song or two later in the evening.

Don and his brothers shared a love of “action” on games of chance, including horse racing. They could often be seen at Saratoga with their penned-over racing forms in hand. At one time, Don owned two racehorses with a syndicate and proudly stood in the winner’s circle on two occasions with Linda by his side. A photo of one of their horses, “Wolf Alert", hangs prominently in their house as a beloved member of the family.

Don was known for his quick wit, humor, kindness, and sensitivity. But above all, Don was a family man. His motto was: Work hard, play hard, but always remember family first. Throughout his children’s lives, he played the roles of coach, mentor, tutor, and friend—always offering his time and love to them, and later to his grandchildren. On cold and frigid days, it was not unusual to see him playing with his grandchildren in an otherwise empty body of water, simply because they asked him to.

Don is survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda (Krihak); his daughter Meredith (Matt); his son Ryan (Danielle); and his brother-in-law Peter. He was a proud grandfather—affectionately known as “Bumpa”—to Ben, Sam, and Harry (Meredith), and Lucas and Olivia (Ryan). He is also survived by his nieces and nephews and their families: Max (Paula), Grace (Peter), Barbara, Karen, Michael, Matt (George), Jenny, Megan, and Marybeth (Robert).

Don now joins Paula, Nina, Christa, George, and Bobby in heaven. His legacy of love, laughter, and family will live on in all who knew him.

A service has been scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Mariner Sands Chapel, 6500 SE Congressional Way, Stuart, FL 34997.