J. Don Read retired from the academy in 2015. He is a colleague, collaborator, mentor, teacher, and friend to us and to so many others. In this article, we describe Don the student, Don the professor, Don the colleague, and Don the person. For those who have not yet had the pleasure to meet him, you will learn why the mantra WWDRD (What Would Don Read Do?) aptly sums up the impact that Don has had on those fortunate enough to know him. His calm and level-headed appreciation of good work has inspired students as well as junior and senior researchers. © 2016 Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition