Don C Blankenship

Don Clark Blankenship January 1, 1937-January 22, 2018

Don Clark Blankenship was born January 7, 1937 to Gilbert and Eileen Blankenship in Great Falls, Montana. He was the 2nd oldest of eight children. His family moved to Ritzville, WA when he was 6 years old and then made their final home in Salem, OR when he was 7.  He joined the U.S. Navy as a Seabee in 1955 and honorably discharged in Jan. 1959.  He married Donna Ferguson on August 1, 1958 in Stevenson, WA.  They made their home in Hermiston where they raised 4 children.  Don worked road construction for many years drove truck for Bill Kasari & Let’er Buck Motor Freight from 1966 through 1977.  He started his own trucking business in 1978, first working for Kasari Trucking then for Morrow County Grain Growers as a contractor and then sold his trucks in 1993 and went to work for Simplot until he retired in 1999.  He then began working for Madison Farms in Echo, OR and worked there part-time until January of 2017. 

He loved telling stories about his Seabee days in the Navy, most memorably his time in Antarctica. He loved his annual hunting trips with his sons and his buddies.  He also was very proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He coached Little League baseball when his boys were little.  You could find him at the football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball games cheering for the Bulldogs.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Sabra, Wilda, Linda, Julie and brother, Stewie, his oldest daughter, Renee, great-granddaughter Delanee, and his faithful dogs Baby and Jake.  He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Donna, sisters Jenifer(Doug) Desouza of San Diego, CA and Jane Borg of San Francisco, CA, his sons Craig(Janet) Blankenship of Overland Park, KS, Larry(Kristin) Blankenship of Portland, his daughter Darcy(Patrick) McDonough of Hermiston, 12 Grandchildren,  Alison, Joseph, Stephanie, Andrew, Steven, Laci, Ryan, Devin, Kayla, Abbye, Andie, and Aaron, 16 great-grandchildren, and many friends that were like family.

At Don’s request, no formal services will be held and a celebration of life will be held this summer.

Please sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Don C Blankenship, please visit our floral store.