Donald P. Roeske, 76 of Boone Grove, IN, passed away Wednesday, July 16, 2025. He was born June 14, 1949, in Valparaiso, IN, to the late Hilbert and Flora (Shinabarger) Roeske. Don graduated from Boone Grove High School in 1967, and proudly served in the United States Army. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Kouts where he had previously held the position of head usher. Don was a Board Member of the Porter Township High School Building Corp and had various professions over the years, including farming, working at Indiana Furniture and Orville Redenbacher’s, and driving a bus for the Boone Grove School System. He was also a volunteer firefighter with the Boone Grove Fire Department for many years. Don’s heart was always with the students at Boone Grove Schools. He loved being their bus driver, and would attend many of the sporting events and even helped as a scorekeeper. Don also enjoyed tinkering with model trains in his spare time.
Don is survived by his sister, Carole (John) Pankau; nieces and nephews: John (Shari) Pankau, Jason (Jennifer) Pankau, Aaron (Tammy) Pankau, and Shay (Bill) McCorkle; 11 great nieces and nephews; and 6 great great nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Monday, July 28, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Kosanke Funeral Home, 309 S. Main St., Kouts, IN. The funeral service will begin on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home, with additional visitation from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the service. Burial will follow at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Don’s name to the Boone Grove High School Athletic Department.
