Father, husband, son, brother, and he hoped, friend to many he met in his life, Donald Franklin Goldsmith Jr., 59, of Hurricane, West Virginia, left this life on May 26, 2025, after a long battle with cancer, beginning in 2014.

Don was born on March 3, 1966, in LaPlata, Maryland, to parents Donald Sr. and Carol Goldsmith. He grew up near Magruder’s Ferry, Maryland, where he spent every chance he got exploring nature. Don, or Frankie to his family, enjoyed fishing and hunting with his father and working with him in his electrical business.

Don married the love and angel of his life, Tammy, in 2008. He worked for the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health until 2021, when the third return of his cancer forced him to retire. He had always missed his coworkers and friends.

Don is preceded in death by his father, Donald Sr. He is survived by his dear wife, Tammy; his mother, Carol; three children, Matthew, Madison, and Michael; and his sister Kim and her family. He is also survived by uncles and an aunt, cousins, a niece and nephew, and many in-laws, who he had always appreciated and loved.

Don loved life, despite battling cancer for many years, finding something to enjoy in every day. He had a great love for nature, animals, hiking, and photography. Those close to him may remember him for his love of his feline friends. He never met a cat he didn’t like and most liked him. While some may remember him as a quiet person, Don enjoyed meeting and talking with friends he hadn’t met yet from all walks of life, often to the aggravation of Tammy.

Don always hoped that his long battle with cancer would give others inspiration in theirs. He also hoped that, despite any difficult times that people are going through, that they manage to find something in every day that might bring them a moment of peace and the strength to fight on.

Don asks that in lieu of flowers, please be kind to animals and donate to your local animal rescue. Be sure to tell those close to you today that you love them, they may not be here tomorrow.

A Gathering to Honor the Life of Don will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.

Memories of Don may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.