Donald J. Ely announcing his congressional campaign in 2007. Photo courtesy The Daily Item
SUNBURY – The Valley is mourning the loss of an educator, and political leader. State Representative (R-108th, Sunbury) Lynda Schlegel Culver said, Ely was a proud teacher, “He would talk about all the kids he taught in class, and the careers they chose, or if they got involved in government. At all levels, how proud he was of every single student that contributed in any way to society ”
Sunbury city council member Beth Kremer spoke of Ely’s dedication to the Republican party. “Don was a good man, and he was a diehard Republican. He worked harder than just about anybody I know for the party.”
She went on to say that he was always mentoring people in the political realm. “He was always willing to help anyone who wanted to run for political office. He was always trying to find some people to run for school board because he always thought that was such an important thing to do.”
Donald Ely was extremely well known in the Shikellamy community as a civics teacher in the Shikellamy School District, but he may be best known to the broad community as the voice behind radio ads which promoted a number of GOP candidates. He also ran for US Congress in 2007.
Ely died suddenly in Sunbury on Monday. He was 81. (Christopher Elio)
