Obituary of Donald Beene Ansley
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Donald Beene Ansley died on July 13, 2020, surrounded by those who loved
him. Donald was a loving father and husband, an accomplished designer and
builder, and a creative and inquisitive mind whose infectious enthusiasm
touched all who knew him.
Donald was a man of wide-ranging pursuits and interests: yacht building and
interior design; bird watching and dog training; art and craft; nature and
technology. Donald’s code was curiosity and his life was shaped by his
boundless inquisitiveness and optimism. A gifted storyteller of uncommon
warmth, openness, and generosity, Donald had a special way of sharing his
enthusiasm for the world and all its creatures and things: a kingfisher
poised for a dive, a piece of modern sculpture, an interesting new
material, a towering sycamore.
A conversation with Donald always meant learning something new and
interesting about the world – and coming away with a greater appreciation
for all its wonders.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1952 to Bradford and Jeanne Ansley, Donald
spent his early years in Atlanta and Columbus Georgia. In 1966 the family
moved to Sarasota, Florida. The Ansleys’ home on Siesta Key provided a rich
setting for Donald to explore and connect with the natural world -- from
the warm waters and sandy beaches of the Gulf to the live oak forests of
the interior. The coastal setting also prompted a love of boats and water
that would stay with Donald for the rest of his life.
At a remarkably young age, Donald became a skilled and sought-after yacht
designer, using the expertise he acquired at the Westlawn School of Yacht
Design to design and build industry-leading yachts and sailboats. Alongside
Bill Higgins, Donald developed and built the prototype of the Stiletto
Catamaran <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stiletto_27>, launched in 1976 as
one of the most technologically advanced sailboats ever made.
Through a five-decades long career in design and project management, Donald
worked for Rousch Design, Derecktor Shipyards, Ted Hood Yacht Builders,
Intermarine Yacht Builders, and Century Furniture Company before starting
his own business.
A self-taught engineer, Donald founded Ansley Design Fab with a mission of
applying advanced engineering and manufacturing methods to the challenges
of yacht interior outfitting, and – in recent years – to luxury apartment
interiors and high-end furniture design. An inveterate tinkerer, he
invariably filled his workshops with unusual tools, gadgets, and
inventions. Donald was always striving for a better, more elegant, and more
interesting way to make things.
Donald loved nature and the outdoors. Early in life, he was an avid
birdwatcher, and could identify birds by their songs. He especially loved
frigate birds, kingfishers, and great blue herons. He was a long-time
Democrat who believed fervently in social justice, tolerance, and
championing the underdog. A voracious and wide-ranging reader, he instilled
in his daughter a life-long love of books and reading. An entrepreneur and
a maker, he also showed his daughter and stepsons the joy of direct
observation of the world and hands-on interaction with it.
In 2017 Donald and his wife Cindy moved to Middle Tennessee, where he
became enchanted by the unique topography and climate of the Cumberland
Plateau. He made it his business to learn about plants native to the
Plateau, and as he worked on his own property, his love for gardening and
landscaping grew. He was an involved member of the Long Branch Lakes
community, where he contributed his problem solving talents and forged many
highly valued friendships.
Donald is survived by his wife, Cindy McGinnis; by his daughter, Channing
Ansley Grate and her husband Adam of Washington, DC; by stepsons Patrick
and Ryan Duffy; by brother Bradford Ansley III and his wife Kathy of
Maryville, TN; by sister Fran Ansley and her husband Jim Sessions of
Knoxville, TN; by nephew Elisha Sessions and his wife Emma Bassmann of
London, England, and their sons Louis and Paul Sessions; by his niece Lee
Sessions of Knoxville; by numerous cousins; and by his beloved Belgian
Malinois, Fiona, and terrier mutt Clare.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bradford Dunham Ansley Jr. and
Jeanne Turner Ansley.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating in his honor to the charity of your
choice. Please leave a remembrance of Donald on the Tribute Wall. Due to
COVID-19, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date; email
Cindy at knoxgypsy@gmail.com if you would like to receive information.
