In Memoriam

Don Allan Oberriter
1937-2025

COOPERSTOWN—Don Allan Oberriter passed gently from this life into the arms of his Lord on the morning of April 11, 2025. Don was born in 1937 in Utica to John M. Oberriter and Bernice Ellen (Denielt) Oberriter. He graduated from Utica Free Academy, Class of 1955, and attended the University of Vermont for two years, majoring in hotel and resort management.

In January 1961, Don was inducted into the Army at Los Angeles, California, where he stepped forward to take the Oath of Service, serving honorably at Fort Ord, Monterey, California, at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, and at Loring Air Base, Limestone, Maine, with the 10th Ordinance detachment of Fort Devins, Massachusetts. There he was a Nike Ajax and Hercules missile and launcher technician and repairman, servicing missile sites surrounding Loring Air Base. He was proud of having been promoted to Specialist 5th Class in his 19th month of service. He was honorably discharged in January 1963.

In his youth and young adult years, Don was an avid skier. His parents were accomplished skiers and Don, his brother, and sister were all skiing by the age of 4. As members of the Snow Ridge Ski Club in Turin, they were soon racers. Don’s career spanned 30 years and more than 200 sanctioned races. In 1954, he won the Catskill Downhill at Belleayre ski area while still a junior racer. In 1965, as a member of the Snow Ridge Club Racing Team, he raced in Switzerland and Austria, of which he was especially proud. He continued enjoying skiing until he was 82.

As a sports car enthusiast, he attended with his father the 1950 and 1951 races in Watkins Glen, where he fell in love with Porsches. He later owned two—a 1961 356 Coupe and a 1965 356 C Cabriolet, both of which he raced in amateur events and showed on Concourse (the beauty contest of cars…the cars were vey shiny!).

In his later life, Don was an avid golfer, sharing his passion for the sport with many friends while playing at Leatherstocking Golf Course and Otsego Golf Club.

On October 26, 1968, he and Sharon Ann Murphy were married at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Utica. He always credited Sharon, an English teacher at New Hartford Central School, with increasing his word power and smoothing his rough corners. They enjoyed 57 years together as partners in all they did.

Following the sale of the Oberriter family restaurant in New Hartford, in 1975, Don and Sharon opened Obies Brot Und Bier, a beer and sandwich bar in Cooperstown. It was a quick success and created enduring memories for many in Cooperstown and beyond. In 1981, Don’s restless brain focused on launching the Cooperstown Bat Company with Sharon. Through the years, it became a national manufacturer of player and artistic bats for the burgeoning sports memorabilia market. After 28 years they sold it in 2009 and it continues to thrive today after 44 years.

Throughout his life, Don believed in community involvement, which led to numerous business, social, veteran’s and sports organizations: Eastern Amateur Ski Association, U.S. Amateur Ski Association (1953-1975), Sports Car Club of America, Porsche Club of America, the Over 70 Ski Club, the Mohican Club of Cooperstown, Lions Club of Cooperstown, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, serving as a director from 1978-1982, and Otsego County Chamber of Commerce.

Don approached life with great enthusiasm. He especially enjoyed the many people he met and his appreciation of their talents led to many lifelong friendships. He particularly valued the many young people he had the privilege to employ and the opportunity to mentor as they grew in experience. He considered himself blessed by knowing them. He was happy anytime he could bring a smile and a laugh or tell someone how special they were. Life in Cooperstown gave him many close friends with whom he celebrated the joys of raising a family and being part of a close-knit community.

Don was predeceased by his parents, his infant son, Aric Allan, his brother, John Roger, his sister-in-law, Natalie Oberriter, and his brothers-in-law, Dan Guida and Terry Murphy.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son Andrew (Abby); daughter Megan (Timothy) Dinneen; grandchildren Lucy and MacArthur Oberriter and Maxwell and Indiana Dinneen; his sister, Donna Cheryl Guida; sister-in-law Mary Murphy; nephews Matthew Murphy (Kristen), Jim Oberriter (Angel), Carl (Antoinette) Oberriter; nieces Kiersten Garrison (Randy Suzuki) and Monica Guida-Houghton (Richard); and many great nieces and nephews.

Don lived by a philosophy of helping others and paying it forward to friends and strangers. Please consider a donation to Cooperstown Food Pantry or to your favorite charity in his memory.

Calling hours are from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at Connell, Dow and Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, officiating. The service will be followed by a gathering of friends in The Parish Center directly behind the church.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.