Donald Lloyd Ewbank

Mr. Donald Lloyd Ewbank of Cool, California, devoted husband and loving father, passed peacefully into eternal rest on July 6, 2021, following a short period of declining health and the death less than one month prior of his beloved wife Linda Lee (née Rothrauff) Ewbank. Born on August 17, 1933, Don spent his early years in Butte, Montana with his parents Viola Verneta (née Peterson) Ewbank and Orval Sherwood Ewbank Nuhfer, along with his two little sisters Frances (née Ewbank) Cloud and Shirley (née Ewbank) Cornwell. The family eventually moved to California, where Don graduated from Santa Clara High School. After his freshman year at San Jose State University, Don enlisted in the Air Force and was posted in Europe as a navigator and radio operator. He later returned to California and continued his engineering degree program at San Jose State University, while working at Lockheed Missiles and Space, where he remained until his retirement. Going on a blind double date with his sister Shirley’s new colleague soon after he joined Lockheed, Don met the love of his life, Linda. Following a brief courtship, Don and Linda were married on July 26, 1958 in Sunnyvale, California and enjoyed nearly 63 years as inseparable, devoted partners.

Don and Linda raised four loving children, Lisa Ewbank of Los Gatos, California; Kathy (née Ewbank) White of Westlake Village, California; Jennifer Ewbank Kelton of Reston, Virginia; and Steve Ewbank of Santa Clara, California. Don proudly welcomed into the family son-in-law Mark Kelton and daughter-in-law Laura Sonora, both of whom he embraced as his own. One of Don’s greatest joys was becoming Opa (grandfather) to Spencer and Sophie White, and later to Jennifer’s stepchildren Cameron (née Kelton) Morency and Callum Kelton. That joy deepened as he welcomed to the family Cameron’s husband Jeffrey Morency, and in early 2021 he was thrilled to become great-grandfather to Ian Alexander.

Ever the engineer, Don approached all aspects of life with intellectual curiosity and a desire to know how things work. Some of his favorite things to share with his children while they were young included an abacus, the game of chess, a volume of Persian poetry (in translation), a small Rodin replica (the Thinker), a world atlas, a fascination with space exploration, the soundtrack to “2001: A Space Odyssey”, visits to the local library, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. He built an addition on the family home in Campbell, California and would never dream of paying a mechanic for routine car repairs. He loved a good-natured and spirited debate, particularly with his mother. Early each Saturday morning, he would grab whichever child was awake and take them to visit his mom (usually with a box of fresh donuts in hand). After a quick trip to the neighborhood barber, Don would settle in for a good chat, and inevitable debate, with his mother. The visit always ended with hugs, expressions of love, and an exchange of books they had just read.

Don loved the intellectual challenge and social engagement of bridge. He began playing decades ago on his lunch hour at Lockheed, and upon retirement, continued playing club bridge and matches across Northern California. Over the years, he had many different partners; during the pandemic, though already in his late 80’s and not particularly tech savvy, he embraced online club bridge, being matched up with partners from all around the globe. More than anything, Don loved that bridge was an ever-evolving challenge, and one that could never be fully mastered. It was different each time he played, and he loved it.

Don’s service in the Air Force took him to far-flung corners of the globe, and sparked his life-long interest in travel. In addition to supply and personnel runs across Europe and the Middle East, he flew disaster relief missions to Libya and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and survived a crash landing in Athens. Following his retirement from Lockheed and a move to Cool, California, where Linda lived her dream of a country home with land and animals, Don and Linda achieved their mutual dream of continuing to travel the world together. He liked to say that he had fully circumnavigated the globe through his many travels, but for one “short” hop from Dhaka to Rangoon. As he traveled the world, he approached those he met with warmth and sincerity, often developing immediate friendships. On a visit to Mandalay, he quickly befriended the proprietors of a modest Chinese restaurant and ate there multiple times. One evening, he requested a beer with his meal, and the proprietors sent their young son by bicycle to a nearby market to buy a bottle of beer, rather than disappoint their new friend by informing him they were Muslim and did not allow alcohol on the premises.

Don and Linda loved a luxury cruise, but were intrepid travelers too. They visited the Great Pyramid of Giza just weeks after a major terrorist attack in the area, unwilling to be cowed by fear. It was on that trip and while sailing the Nile that Linda fell overboard. Don, who could not swim, jumped into the Nile to save her, and the two enjoyed celebrity status for the remainder of the cruise. They camped on safari in Africa, and stayed awake to catch sight of as many of the “big 5” as possible. They climbed temples in Indonesia and Mayan ruins in Mexico; sailed catamarans in the South Pacific and a luxury liner across the Atlantic; rode horses on an estancia in Argentina and camels in the Egyptian desert; floated down the Amazon through the rainforest and amongst temples and palaces in Bangkok; paid their respects at Uluru in the Australian outback and cathedrals across Europe; and spent long, lazy afternoons on beaches all around the globe.

At the core of all he did was Don’s deep love of and commitment to family. As the children were growing up, Don devoted his leisure time to baseball practice, basketball games, dance recitals, parent-teacher conferences, track meets, student concerts, early morning ice skating practice, math homework, science fair projects, and more. Whatever the activity, his children always felt his strong support and encouragement. He left the house early each morning and worked hard, but the kids always knew that he would walk in the door at 4:30 sharp each afternoon, and the evening was devoted to family. In later years, he valued every moment he could have with his adult children, often over a fine meal and good wine. Prime rib with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon was his idea of heaven, all the more so when shared with someone he loved.

In his youth, Don was a gifted athlete, earning letters in multiple sports at Santa Clara High School. He was the team quarterback, played varsity basketball, and competed in track and field. He played college football during his freshman year at San Jose State University, before joining the Air Force. His love of sports endured throughout his life, and he remained an avid fan of the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, and especially college football and basketball. Don was rarely happier than when he could combine two of his greatest loves by attending a sporting event with one of his children. He had many wonderful memories of home games with Lisa, but even simpler things brought Don joy, including shooting hoops with Steve on the driveway in his younger years.

Don was outgoing and gregarious, seeking to grab all the joy life had to offer. He simply refused to acknowledge any discomfort in life, and was famous for saying “it’s all in your head,” whenever a child complained about one minor inconvenience or another. It was mind over matter, a choice each day to be happy. Throughout the day, you could hear him humming a tune or whistling along to any song that was playing, be it a show tune or a rock song he had never heard before. He would smile broadly and shuffle endearingly as he reached out to hug his children and grandchildren whenever they came to visit. His final trip with Linda was to Virginia, to attend Cameron and Jeff’s fall wedding in an idyllic vineyard setting. During the reception, Don beamed as he told anyone who would listen that he was going to dance that evening with every woman he loved — his three daughters, his daughter-in-law, his two granddaughters, and of course Linda. Later that night, Don joined the after-party with a group of the newlyweds’ friends, all of whom were 50 years his junior. They closed down a bar in the wee hours of the morning, and Don could have kept going for hours longer. He drank in every moment of joy and wanted to savor it for as long as possible.

Perhaps most characteristic of Don was his deep integrity. He was a man of his word, and commitments were always fulfilled. When asking her father for Linda’s hand in marriage, Don vowed that he would support her, care for her, and love her for a lifetime. It was not always easy, as life threw many challenges at the couple, but through it all, they endured. Love was not only sustained, it deepened over the years. Until the end, they exchanged romantic cards on every possible occasion, and even developed a secret code and orthography they used in their letters. As Don’s health began to decline later in life, one of his deepest worries was leaving this earthly plane before Linda, and thereby failing to keep his word to her father. Despite several chronic ailments of his own and the recent development of an exceedingly rare and disturbing neuro-ophthamological disorder, Don kept moving forward with his characteristic good humor, intellectual curiosity, and big heart. Mind over matter, a choice each day to be happy. And so it was that with Linda’s passing in June, he had fulfilled his most sacred promise and had finally squeezed every moment of joy he could from this life.

Just a few months prior to his passing, Don reflected on his rich, rewarding, and full life. He spoke of how he had achieved everything he ever wished for and of the many blessings bestowed upon him, among them raising four loving, strong, and independent children; becoming Opa to such wonderful grandchildren; and, of course, spending a lifetime with his best friend and partner, Linda. He summed it all up by saying that “should it all end tomorrow, I would not feel robbed of a single moment.” And in the end, is that not all anyone can hope for? Bravo, Don, on a life well and fully lived.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, and is survived by his children Lisa, Kathy, Jennifer, and Steve, son-in law Mark, daughter-in-law Laura, grandchildren Spencer, Sophie, Cameron, Callum, and Jeff, great-grandson Ian, sister Shirley, and Linda’s sweet Chihuahua Prada. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to your local hospice; their support for the family throughout these difficult months has been extraordinary. We can never repay their many kindnesses. Alternatively, take someone you love to a fine meal with good wine, tell them how much you love them, and plan your next travel adventure. That would surely make Don and Linda very happy.