Date Born:June 22, 1948             Birth County: Los Angeles

Date of Death: Sept. 28, 2011.    Cause of death: Complications from Emphysema

From the Philadelphia News:

Obituary: Donn DesCaine, resturant worker, artist

Former South St. restaurant worker and artist, Donn DesChaine died Sept. 28 from complications from emphysema, He was 63 yrs old. DesChaine worked at Lickety Split and Judy's Cafe on South St. throughout the 1970's & 80's serving as a food-prep and salad worker.DesChaine was a native of Calif. & moved to Philadelphia with a boyfriend in the 70's.  He acquired his nickname, Mono, while working at Judy's, said longtime friend Diane Keller, also a former cafe employee.

Once Donn left both eateries, Donn took on house painting jobs before heading back to Calif in th 1990's. Keller said he lived with his sister in the Northern Calif mountains for several yrs before moving to Eureka where he worked as the kitchen manger for a nonprofit homeless shelter. Sonn struggled with emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for a number of years and unable to wrk, moved back to Philadelphia in 2010.  He moved in with Keller and her husband, Joel Spivak also a longtime frined.

Keller said Donn collected disability compensation and although he couldn't work full time exercised his passion for the arts. Donn was a member of innovative arts group Dumpster Divers, whose members craft artwork out of recycled products. Pieces of his work which included jewerly composed of found objects and on exhibit at the groups glery at 604 South St.

He was very good natured and his positive creative energy. Keller said he cared an awful lot about people and had a crazy sense of humor. He was a loving friend and a loyal friend and is going to be missed by a lot of people

Donn donated his body to science, Keller said and a memorial plans are still in the works.

Obituary: Donn DesChaine, restaurant worker, artist

By

 Jen Colletta

October 6, 2011 10:46 am