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Wasilla resident Donald R. Shoemaker, 87, died June 5, 2007, at home.
A private celebration of his life will take place at a later date.
Don was born June 1, 1920, in Leavenworth, Wash., and spent his youth in
the Pacific Northwest, working in lumber camps. He was a member of the
Citizen Conservation Corps before enlisting in the military. Don met and
married Lois Kinney in Nevada after serving in World War II in the Navy
as a diver. They came to Alaska in 1948 to live for a year and remained.
Don lived in Anchorage from 1947 to 1974, then moved to Wasilla.
Don was a member of Local 302 of the Operating Engineers for many years
and traveled all over Alaska helping to build the state.
Since his retirement from Local 302, Don enjoyed placer mining and
lapidary, working on his "stuff." "He always liked doing things
himself," his family wrote. "Don was also an avid gardener, and we would
be awash in vegetables every summer.
"Don was generous to his friends, loved his family and was fiercely
independent, preferring to live alone than with anyone but his dog, Bud,
with whom he shared the last 18 years."
Don is survived by his daughter, Ida Menge, and two grandsons, David
Bartholomew III and Nicholas Bartholomew, all of Anchorage; stepson,
Robert Shoemaker of Washington state; dog, Bud, which now lives with his
new family, Ahna and Chandler and their children; and several
grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Don was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Lois; son-in-law,
David Bartholomew II; and grandson, Timothy Bartholomew.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Don's name can be sent to the
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer 99645.
Arrangements were by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory in
Wasilla.
Published in the Anchorage Daily News on 6/24/2007.
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