Falmouth Road Race regular Don Delinks loved family, animals, and mentoring others

Don Delinks, who never missed a Falmouth Road Race, was remembered as not only athletic but also kind and encouraging to others. [Photo courtesy of Delinks family] Courtesy Of The Delinks Family

Known for competing in the Falmouth Road Race every year, Donald Alan Delinks died after a short battle with cancer on Nov.17 at the age of 82. Delinks had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that affects the immune system. Despite those circumstances, the North Falmouth resident kept running until he could not run anymore.

The 7-mile Falmouth Road Race draws thousands of runners from around the world every year, and Delinks became a highly recognized competitor as part of a group called the “Falmouth Five.” The group ran and finished every race since the first one in 1973. Last year, they became the “Falmouth Four” due to one of the runners not competing, bringing their final total together to 46 races. 

“Don was a great, great guy and a really good friend,” said Brian Salzberg, a friend of his for nearly 50 years and also a part of the Falmouth Five.

“We ran the first Falmouth Road Race together in 1973. In about 1983, we realized that we were among the very few who had run all of the races. I will really miss him and I am sorry that he won’t run the 50th Falmouth race with me.”

This year with restrictions due to COVID-19, the 48th was run as an unofficial virtual “At-Home Edition” for charity, from Aug.15-29. Runners covered 7 miles over the course of those 14 days, running, jogging or walking, indoors or outdoors. At age 82, Delinks competed in his 48th and final race by doing his 7 miles on his treadmill at home. His unofficial time was 2:20:00. This came on the heels of a first-place victory for his age group (80-84) in 2019 with a time of 2:01:04. 

Ron Pokraka knew Delinks for 47 years as a friend and also was one of the Falmouth Five runners. Pokraka said that they were really competitive all of their lives. It started with tennis and then continued with running. While everyone else knew him for his athletic abilities, Pokraka also knew him for being a good family man.

“Don was a great guy and a wonderful husband, friend and father,” Pokraka said. “I knew his family and he did a great job bringing his family up. His son Joe was the number one singles tennis player in the state of Massachusetts when he was a senior in high school, and Don was behind that.”

Delinks’ second youngest child, Joe, 30, said his father was also his “best friend.” Joe said he always gave history lessons at family dinners and was a very big community person. He served on the Falmouth School Committee for 18 years, Joe said. 

“He got me into fishing, hunting, baseball, running, sports,” Joe said. “We did everything together. He also taught me to love everyone no matter what. When I was a kid we would go out fishing and he would say, ‘You have to go up to three different people, introduce yourself, ask them where they’re from and how they are doing.’ He was the best dad you could ever ask for.”

Scott Ghelfi has been a fan of Delinks since he was a youth. Delinks used to support and help Ghelfi as a junior racer, which gave him confidence at a young age. Now, Ghelfi is the President of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc. Board of Directors.

“Don was a great guy and very encouraging,” Ghelfi said. “I knew how much the road race meant to Don. I know how much the race streak meant to him and it took cancer to stop him from racing, that's for sure. I think he planned on doing the Falmouth race for forever, and he did. He was a great friend of the Falmouth race and we’re all going to miss him.”

Delinks also competed in two Boston Marathons and one New York City Marathon. Well known for his running, Don also was an animal lover. His passion for animals led him to become a veterinarian.

Delinks went into the ER three times and, due to the pandemic, his wife, Patricia Ahearn, and other family members were not allowed to visit him in the hospital. The family was able to bring him home on hospice, and he was not in any pain. Despite the pandemic, the couple enjoyed their quality time spent watching Netflix, planting gardens and grocery shopping.

“He was a kind man and never complained,” Ahearn said. “I don’t think he said a mean word about anyone in his life. He enjoyed life. It was a wonderful life with him, so that’s the biggest loss for me because everything was exciting. He didn’t have any negativity.  He was just a gentle, loving person.”

Ahearn said her husband was a natural teacher and a mentor to many people, especially veterinarians. Jim Rowe was one of Delinks’ closest friends. Rowe described him as one who encouraged people to bring out the best in themselves. According to Ahearn, Delinks made it a point to hire someone straight out of vet school every year, and Delinks gave Rowe his first job at the Falmouth Animal Hospital in 1989. Rowe said that careers can be made or broken by the first job experience.

“My dog that I had at the time had been hit by a car,” Rowe said. “So, my first day with Don Delinks, I amputated my dog’s leg. A first-time vet straight out of medical school doing his own surgery by himself is unheard of in this day and age. Everything came out well with that surgery and he said to me, ‘If you can do that on your own dog, whatever you feel capable of doing here at my clinic, you can do.’ Ever since, my career took off and I am now an emergency vet. It all started right there with Don Delinks. It’s a debt that I can never repay.”

Don Delinks crosses the finish line of his 44th Falmouth Road Race in 2016. MarathonFoto

Delinks loved traveling and it showed throughout his educational history. Due to his father being a civil engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, he was on the move often. He graduated from high school in Paris, France, which ended up being his favorite place. He then attended the University of Maryland Extension in Munich, Germany, where he received his Bachelor’s degree.

After his family moved from Paris to the Philippines, he graduated with another degree in veterinary medicine from the University of the Philippines. He did not stop there as he went and earned his Master’s degree in entomology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Family members say that a celebration of life will be planned for 2021.