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Colleagues remember Don Praisner as a "breath of fresh air" in county politics, a gentleman who acted more like a concerned neighbor than a politician.
Mourners, shocked and saddened by the news of his death last week, said Praisner connected with people as District 4 County Councilman. He listened to their problems and took action to fulfill the legacy of his wife, Marilyn J. Praisner, who held the seat for 17 years before her death last February.
Praisner died 1:45 p.m. Friday at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda following surgery last week for colon cancer. He was 76.
The Calverton resident was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery Jan. 26. Ruben was with Praisner at Suburban Hospital the night before his surgery and said she knew the outlook wasn't good.
"I knew he was facing a rough road and an uphill battle," said Ruben, a Hillandale resident who was the District 20 senator while Marilyn Praisner was on the council. "It's been a hit, first for their mother, then for him."
Filling her shoes
Many saw Praisner's special election win to finish his late wife's term on the council as the ultimate act of devotion to both his wife and her constituents.
Praisner was sworn as the District 4 representative after defeating a full field of candidates. He ran on the promise to complete his wife's term, which ends in 2010.
During his short time on the council, his colleagues said Praisner struck a delicate balance between fulfilling his wife's legacy and having his own opinions.
"While he initially came to the council to carry on Marilyn's legacy, he quickly became his own man and a passionate advocate for the people of District 4," said Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown.
"He was doing just a great job of filling the void," said Anise Key Brown, the director of the East County Regional Services Center. "But he wasn't just a rubber stamp."
County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said in a statement that Praisner "represented the constituents of District 4 on the County Council for eight months, demonstrating his intellect, humor, and refreshing candor — and taking up the work begun by his dear Marilyn."
Others remember Praisner for his dedication to public service.
Del. Herman L. Taylor Jr. (D-Dist. 14) of Ashton said he's forever grateful to Praisner for helping him get elected to office.
"The loss of him is the loss of a real public servant," said Taylor, who represents Praisner's district in Annapolis. "He was truly committed to the Democratic party, but he was committed first and foremost to his family and his community."
His community
District 4 residents say Praisner highly valued the community he lived in and later served.
Before his council tenure, Praisner held positions on a number of civic groups and homeowners associations, and served as a past president and board member of CHI Centers Inc., a nonprofit that provides services to people with severe disabilities. His early political involvement included a stint as the Democratic precinct chairman for the Calverton area.
As a councilman, Praisner succeeded in maintaining a private life in the community he loved, said Alan Lovell, a close friend of Praisner's and CEO of the CHI Centers Inc.
"I think he very much wanted to be a private person," Lovell said. "He didn't seek the spotlight but he accepted it."
And yet Praisner played an integral role in developing the community with his innovative ideas, said Stanley Doore, who lived down the street from the Praisners and worked with Don Praisner on the board of the Calverton Citizens Association.
Doore said Praisner was key to piecing together the development along the Interstate 95 corridor that includes the new Food and Drug Administration headquarters, the relocation of the Washington Adventist Hospital and a high-tech center.
"He was such a stabilizing force in trying to get us and the county to think ahead and not think in a box," Doore said.
As an elected official, Praisner tried to be as much a part of the community as possible, said Sen. Mike Lenett (D-Dist. 19) of Silver Spring. Lenett said he often would see Praisner at community meetings.
"I was impressed by how present he was in our district," Lenett said.
But the community was more than his constituency, said Daniel Epps, the president of the Calverton Citizens Association. Praisner valued each resident as a neighbor and friend, he said.
Epps recalled moving to Burtonsville in the 1960s as one of the community's few black residents. He said Praisner and his wife were the first to invite him into their home.
"He was a real human being to me, and he seemed to have no boundaries when it came to goodwill," Epps said.
Even Praisner's leisure time was occupied by doing good, Lovell said.
Outside of work, Praisner was an avid golfer who was involved with First Tee, a charitable golf organization for youngsters.
Praisner is survived by three grown children, Karen Cheek and her husband Lance, Michael Praisner and his wife Angela and Alison Klumpp and her husband Lee, and four grandchildren.
