Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Today we say farewell to Donnie “Don” Sanders. Devoted husband and father, he leaves behind his wife of 37 years, Diana, and his children Rick, Jeannie, Amy, and Tracy. He was preceded to the hereafter by his son Curtis. Don was born in Fresno, Calif., on March 21, 1935.
Don contracted and beat Polio as a young child because he wanted to ride his bicycle. It was on this same bicycle that he would carry his pet raccoon Zip to the county fair to win silver dollars in the pet contests.
Don left home at an early age and joined a traveling carnival, where his father found him two years later. Always a traveler, he worked all over the country as an ironworker in states including, but definitely not limited to, California, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and finally landing in Vancouver. In 1979, where, as a foreman on the Glenn Jackson Bridge, he met and soon thereafter married the love of his life, Diana.
Don and Diana bought a lot and began to build in Trout Lake in 1992 and moved there in 1996, and have been a constant point of entertainment ever since, whether at morning coffee, Taco Monday, the Foundation Sale or their annual ornament exchange party.
Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Don knew him as a man with a huge heart, who would not only give you anything he had but would also help you fix it after it broke.
He was quick of wit and had a million jokes and at least twice that many stories. One would be hard pressed to fit more into 83 years on this earth than Don did.
He will be missed terribly by his family and Heaven is a much richer place by his presence.
To plant a tree in memory of Don Sanders as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.