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A Legacy of Service
At FriendsOffice, Memorial Day is personal.
It’s a moment to remember all who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, and a moment to reflect on the foundation of our business, built by one of those servicemen who was fortunate enough to return from service: Captain Don Friend.
Don wasn’t just the founder of our company. He was a veteran of World War II, a leader in his Wapakoneta, Ohio community, and a man of great humility who quietly shaped the values that still define FriendsOffice today.
From Combat to Community
Captain Don Friend served in WWII with courage and honor. After returning home, he built a life rooted in service—this time to his community, his customers, and his team. His storefront in Wapakoneta became more than a place of business; it was a place of connection, dependability, and generosity. When our current ownership took on the business, they uncovered more than a company—they discovered Don’s story, told through forgotten newspaper clippings, old photographs, and preserved WWII memorabilia hidden in the back rooms of that very store.
Through social media, we’ve had the privilege of connecting with Don’s family, including his daughter-in-law Linda. Seeing Don through the eyes of those who knew and loved him most has only deepened our respect for the man who started it all. Linda’s stories and shared memories help paint a more complete picture of Don—not only as a veteran, but as a father, husband, friend, and community builder.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
Memorial Day reminds us not only to look back, but to carry forward the values of service, integrity, and sacrifice. At FriendsOffice, we honor that commitment in many ways:
- Supporting veterans and their families through employment and community outreach.
- Showing up for one another as teammates during times of loss or personal difficulty.
- Leading by example—our ownership has been known to help load trucks, clean up the warehouse, and personally recognize team wins.
- Giving back to schools, non-profits, and small businesses across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.
This Memorial Day, We Remember
Captain Don Friend didn’t set out to build a business empire; he set out to serve. And that’s exactly what FriendsOffice continues to do. Whether we’re assembling back-to-school kits for teachers, furnishing healthcare spaces, or supporting our team through life’s ups and downs, we do it with the same steady heart Don showed all those years ago.
So this Memorial Day, we don’t just think back on Don's legacy, we remember all the brave men and women who, like him, served with honor and built something lasting in their communities before their time came too soon or after their uniform came off.
We are proud to carry this legacy forward. And we’re especially grateful that Don’s story lives on—not just in old photographs, but in the way we work, support one another, and serve our customers.
To all who serve and to those we’ve lost: We remember. We are grateful. And we honor you through our work every day.