Baton Rouge, LA - Longtime Baton Rouge resident, Donald Hugh Daigle (Don), 84, peacefully passed away, surrounded by his family, on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at the family home in Baton Rouge.

Don was born in Church Point, Louisiana, and grew up on a cattle, cotton, and vegetable farm working with his parents and three brothers. After graduating from Church Point High School, Donald attended Louisiana State University receiving his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1963. Immediately upon graduation, Don began a 43-year career with Exxon Mobil beginning at the Baton Rouge Refinery. Multiple positions within the organization based in Houston, Baton Rouge, New Jersey, and Virginia followed including a return to Baton Rouge in 1983 to become the Baton Rouge Refinery Manager. Daigle would eventually go on to assume the Vice-President Refining for Exxon's worldwide refining operations for Exxon Mobil. He retired from Exxon Mobil in September 2006.

Upon retirement, he and his wife of 60 years, Geraldine B. Daigle (Gerry), returned to Baton Rouge where they became deeply involved in the civic life of Baton Rouge. In 2008, Don became a member of the Board of Directors of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. In 2009, he joined the Board of Directors for Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center in Baton Rouge, becoming Chairman of the Board in 2013 to 2017. Don was also Past Chairman of the Advisory Council to the Dean of the LSU College of Engineering.

Daigle's professional activities were extensive. Among many such activities, he served on the Board of Directors of Texas Eastern Pipeline Company, Executive Committee of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, past Chairman of the General Committee on Refining of the American Petroleum Institute, and past Chairman of the National Petroleum Council Study on Refining commissioned by the U.S. Secretary of Energy in 2001 and 2004.

Don Daigle's foremost life commitments were to his family and faith. Don and Gerry built a beautiful 60-year marriage after meeting in Church Point early in life. Their three children, Sandy, Paul, and Chuck, were the focus of their life together. Later, their seven grandchildren enjoyed this same commitment and attention.

A devout Catholic, Don and Gerry were parishioners at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge and regular attendants at Mass.

Donald was known to be a non-judging human being, not proud, not prejudiced, and unaware of his own goodness. He valued education as a core foundation, and he and Gerry afforded opportunities to many families contributing to generational change.

Funeral services will be held Friday November 14, at St. Joseph Cathedral, beginning at 1:00pm with visitation, followed by a Funeral Mass at 2:00pm.