Donald Grant Schriner

Donald Grant Schriner passed away on May 18, 2016 after many years of fighting kidney disease. He was born December 14, 1933 in Palmer Lake, Colorado, to Lawrence Grant Schriner and Ada Ruth (Mead) Schriner.

He attended the Irving country school for his lower grades and finished his education at Elizabeth High School. After graduating in 1952, he joined the Navy and served his country for four years. During that time, he married Joanne Tapparo. To that union were born three daughters, LaDonna, Judi, and RoxAnne.

Don and Joanne later separated and in 1972 he married Flora Ann Scott. They were married for over 43 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, older brother, C.J. Schriner, and brother in law Robert Anderson.

He is survived by his wife, Flora Ann, daughters LaDonna (Jeff) Christianson, Judi Beestman (companion Bill Dryer), and RoxAnne (Jack) Forrest, sister, Mary Ann Anderson, eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, four nieces, one nephew and numerous cousins.

Don was a hard worker his whole life. As a kid in school, after moving from the farm into Elizabeth, he spaded gardens, shoveled snow and various other chores for folks around Elizabeth. He worked for Floyd and Lella Shepherd at their sale barn for years. He worked for Warren Garland in his service station for a number of years and worked at the missile base southeast of Elizabeth. He worked construction for many years and had his own construction business for a number of years.

When he quit the construction business, he went into ranch work and worked for Gerald Kelley for several years. He and his wife Flora Ann ran their own herd of cows for many years. He also ran a band of sheep for several years and thoroughly enjoyed them.

After Don and Flora Ann sold the cattle and sheep and he semi-retired, he started restoring stationary gas engines and acquired quite a number of them. He joined the Front Range Antique Power Association and took his engines to many different shows and met and made friends with a lot of really nice people.

He also collected and restored International Farmall tractors and International Cub Cadet garden tractors. Among his many collections were antique toys that he enjoyed refurbishing. He also enjoyed collecting clocks and repairing them.

He worked auctions for many years as a ring man. For a few years his wife, Flora Ann joined him working as a clerk. When they’d go home and go to bed after a big consignment sale, Don would call out in his sleep still taking bids and Flora Ann was still doing her clerking job. He often made the comment that they should’ve been paid double time for that!

Don enjoyed helping others with whatever needed to be done. Even though he had kidney failure, he still led an active life. Until the last three years when his health demanded that he slow down and pretty well quit doing what he loved to do. He made many friends through his life, and will be missed by those friends and especially his family.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest donations be made to the Elbert County Historical Society, P.O. Box 43, Kiowa, CO 80117