March 24, 1934 - May 7, 2018

To many people he was simply the Ice Guy, a moniker he wore so proudly that he had it stamped in metal and bolted to his car. As general manager of Central Illinois Ice for 30 years, he embodied the company so much so that most people just assumed he owned it.

He had something of a sixth sense when it came to the weather and how it would impact the business. He could keep track of the whereabouts of a half dozen ice trucks weaving their way along the blacktops of central Illinois, how much ice we had, how much more we needed, how many bags we needed to order to hold that ice, what the gauge readings were on dozens of machines, what needed oiling, and what needed bashing with a hammer.

He juggled these tasks all summer long while guzzling gallons of coffee and only occasionally stopping to furiously shake a peanut dispenser near the front door to make sure he got every nut a dime could buy.

If you ever knew Don Squires, the next time you reach into a cooler full of ice on a hot summer’s day take a moment to remember the Ice Guy.

Submitted by Don’s son, Derek Squires, and Raymond Kienzler, a friend and former employee