Donald Jacob Dundon, 93

Donald Jacob Dundon died on Jan. 8, 2018 in Rathdrum, Idaho. He was born on Jan. 28, 1924 in Junction City, Kan., to Leonard G. Dundon and Helen D. Lambdin Dundon of Ogden, Kan. The family soon moved to southeastern Kansas to farm, and then in 1936 moved west to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Donald attended Coeur d’Alene Junior High and Coeur d’Alene High, graduating in 1941. Following graduation, he worked with the NYA group, which was constructing the first college building to be located on what is now the campus of North Idaho College. With the start of World War II, he worked at Farragut Naval Training Station on a brush clearing crew until mid 1942, then attended Spokane Trade School until called into military service in the spring of 1943.

He served with the U.S. Army Air Force as an aircraft sheet metal repairman, working on B-29 Bombers with the 20th Air Force on Saipan in the Western Pacific, rising to the rank of sergeant. Following his discharge from the service in February 1946, he returned to his parents’ home in Espanola, Wash. just before the family moved to Spokane.

Donald worked at the Trentwood Rolling Mill in Spokane until 1948, when he enrolled in Gonzaga University. He graduated in 1952. Following graduation, he began his newspaper career as the county seat reporter in Montesano, Wash., for the Aberdeen Daily World. In May, 1953 Donald married Dorothy Lois Carnegie in Spokane’s Central Methodist Church.

Donald’s journalism career spanned 40 years, from 1952 to 1992. This included serving two daily papers, six weeklies, and one senior monthly publication, which he and Lois published for 11 years.

He was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Kiwanis International, and held life memberships in both. In addition, he was an ordained elder and deacon in the Presbyterian Church, and had served both on church sessions and deacon boards. He was a member of Faith Presbyterian Church, Hayden, Idaho at the time of his death.

Donald and Lois celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in 2017. Their children are Barbara Parker and husband, Eric, of Sandpoint, Idaho, and Kathy Moe and husband, Ron, of Renton, Wash. Grandchildren are Rocky Parker of Spokane, Kalina Clewell and her husband, Trever, of Brookings, Ore., Cameron Moe and Kelsey Moe, both of Renton. One great-grandchild is Austin Clewell of Brookings. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Allis Arildson of Alderwood Manor, Wash.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, at Faith Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Faith Presbyterian Church, 9485 N. Maple St., Hayden, ID 83835.