Donald Joseph Winters

Don Winters was a legend of the Waimea community. He was born in Los Angeles on November 5, 1936. During his high school years, he moved to the family farm in rural Washington. It was during this period that he developed a passion for raising cattle. It was a craft that he would perfect over the course of his life. He joined the Future Farmers of America and started his first pure-bred, award-winning dairy herd which he showed at county and state fairs. After graduating from White River High School in Buckley, Washington, he attended California Polytechnic University to seek additional knowledge to further master his trade. He majored in Dairy Husbandry and made many connections in the industry as a member of the cattle judging team. Between his sophomore and junior years, he joined the US Army and was deployed to Europe where the Cold War was beginning to heat up. When he got out of the Army, he bought a silver Mercedes and spent time cruising along the Italian coast. Perhaps this was the beginning of his deep disdain for seat belts. Don returned to the States, and after graduation, got a job as a herdsman for an Oahu dairy, shipping cattle from the West Coast to Hawaii. He also made several shipments for his own herd, including the first air shipment from Hawaii to the mainland. After his marriage to Rebecca (Becky) Wong he moved to Kona and became the operator/manager of a 300-acre dairy and beef operation in Keopu. After several years raising dairy heifers at Puu Oo, he moved to Waimea and increased his own herd while working part-time as manager of Kehena Ranch. Don continued to raise grass-fed beef as an independent rancher. Don was a hero and pillar of the Waimea community. He vehemently disliked traffic laws, and his stack of seat belt tickets is surely a state record. There are countless tales of his honor and escapades around the island. One man said, "Don gave me a new lease on life. A second chance. If I didn't meet him, I probably would have ended my life." He lived life on his own terms. He loved red wine and McDonald's coffee. In his pastures, all it took was a shout and his cattle would come running. He passed away on October 6, 2022 at home. His 86 years of life will long be outlived by his legacy, and his impact will be celebrated by the community for years to come. He will be missed, but the time we spent with him was worth every moment. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Becky; sons Alan (Kara) and David (Mahea); grandsons Alex, Kawika, and Isaac; and favorite granddaughter Anuhea, all of Waimea; brother Robert Norman Winter of Sumner, WA and sister Patricia Ann Czekaj of McKinney, TX.