Donald E. Dobrino was born February 3, 1935, in Mt. Olive to Thomas and Mary Dobrino. He died July 4, 2021, peacefully at home surrounded by his family. 

He graduated from Mt. Olive High School in 1953, where he excelled in all major sports and led the Wildcats to four consecutive South Central Conference Championships. Recruited by several division-one universities, he accepted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Iowa to play football and baseball for the Hawkeyes. He excelled in both sports earning the reputation of being a bruising-type running back and became known as one of the outstanding half-backs in the Big Ten. 

The Hawks won the Big Ten Championship in 1956 which earned them a trip to Pasadena to play in the Rose Bowl Tournament defeating Oregon State, 35-18. As a pitcher for the baseball team, he became known as the “Strikeout King” of the Big Ten. After graduation, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins but later accepted a better offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates and advanced to Triple-A ball with the Pirates but became frustrated when the organization wanted him to spend more time in Minor ball. 

He decided to look for more stable employment in order to support his wife, Jeanette, and a growing family. He accepted a teaching job with the Depue School District where he taught Physical Education and coached several sports. He then initiated a football program there but just as that program was improving and the Little Giants finally enjoyed a winning season, a coaching position opened at Gillespie High School and he transferred to Gillespie. 

He coached the Gillespie Miners to many successful seasons but the most fulfilling successes have to include the 1976 and 1990 appearances of the football Miners in the 2A finals of the Illinois State Playoffs. Unfortunately, they came up short both times. He retired in 1996 from teaching but stayed on to coach the Miners for another few years. After he was released from his contract with Gillespie, Mt. Olive wanted their favorite son back so offered him a job coaching the Wildcats. He was able to reignite the winning spirit of the Wildcats who won two Prairie State Conference titles and qualified for the IHSA football playoffs seven times. 

His coaching record ranks him at 14 of all-time winning high school coaches in Illinois. He was inducted into the Illinois High School Hall of fame in 1987 and was named West Central Illinois Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, he was inducted into the National High School Athletics Coaches Assn and named Coach of the Week by the Chicago Bears. He coached his son, Robert Dobrino, two step-sons Rick and Ed Herrera, and finally his grandson, Daniel Dobrino, spanning 50 years of coaching. But even at the age of 86 and battling cancer, he still wanted to be out on the field with young coaches and young athletes teaching then what he had learned in a lifetime of coaching. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Thomas and Robert. 

He married his second wife, Cyrelda (Cookie) Dobrino in 1978 and she survives. He is also survived by his children, Lori Small, Carla Smith (Jim Freytag), Robert Dobrino (Diane), and Donette Clark (Michael); two stepsons, Rich Herrera (Theresa) and Edward Herrera (Bernie); 10 grandchildren, Jeremy, Sean, Brandon (Ginny), Daniel, Jenna, Mitchell, Courtney, Kyleigh, Osiana and Marquez; and great granddaughters, Makenna and Keira. 

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He believed strongly in his Catholic faith and prayer and he and his players knelt before every game not to pray for victory but to pray for whomever and whatever the players thought needed God’s guidance. He often took them to mass on Friday mornings and those who did not practice the faith went and prayed anyway. The “Duke” is gone, but his legacy lives on. He will be missed. 

A private family mass will be celebrated. Memorials may be made to GHS Football Program or Partnership for Educational Excellence District 7. Kravanya Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 2 at the Benld City Park from 6 p.m until 9 p.m. Come and help the Dobrinos and Herreras pay tribute to him for his 50 years of coaching young athletes. In whatever capacity you knew him, P.E. teacher, drivers ed instructor, coach, or friend, please come and help us pay tribute to his life. Food and beverages will be served, stories will be told, cheers will be said, and fireworks will boom.

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