Donaldson Martin Carnahan

Donaldson Martin Carnahan age 75 died suddenly at his home in Renton Washington on 3 October 2014. He died on the 55th anniversary of his wedding to the love of his life Sharon Joy Poulsen who predeceased him in 2010. Don is survived by his children Shari Carnahan, Kimberlee (Ronald) Medlock; their children Victoria, Donaldson, Bradley, Camilla, Gregory and Scott, and Tamara (Kevin) Johnson and their two sons Corey and Kyle. Don was predeceased by his parents Donaldson Emmett Carnahan and May Cherry Martin, siblings Shirley Wilhite and Daniel Carnahan. Don attended school in the Renton School district and returned there to teach after graduating from University of Washington. Don played football at UW from 1958-1962 including the Husky Hall of Fame 1961 Rose Bowl team. Don returned to Renton High School to teach, then went to work in Olympia for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. He became the director of Pupil Transportation and began working with colleagues all over the nation for safer student transportation. Don was instrumental in the founding and running of national and state organizations for Pupil Transportation. He was the current president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation. Just a few of the organizations he was involved with include: NAPT, NSTA, NASDPTS, WAPT. After retiring from OSPI Don went to work for Laidlaw in 1996. In 2003 he began working at Zonar Systems as vice president of Business Development for Pupil Transportation. He always attributed his success to his wife Sharon and her writing and organization abilities. Don enjoyed the outdoors and took his family camping, motorcycle and snowmobile riding and hunting over the years.