Donald W Cardin

A graveside service will be held on Saturday March 9, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. at the Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville, Oregon. A viewing will be held at Prineville Funeral Home on Friday, March 8, 2013, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Donald was born in Humboldt, Kansas on March 6, 1928, the son of James Leslie and Hazel Belle (Ness) Cardin. Around 1939 the Cardin family moved from Kansas to Oregon looking for work. After having no success finding work west of the Cascades, the family planned to move to Idaho where Donald’s Great Uncle lived. On their way they stopped in Sisters, Oregon where Donald’s father heard about a mechanics job that was available in a town called Prineville. So, they headed to Prineville where Donald’s father did indeed get the job, making $40.00 per week. They stayed in a cabin that used to stand where the Ochoco Plaza Shopping Center is located today. A short time later they bought a house just down the road where the Stafford Inn is currently located and opened up “Cardin Motors”, a used car and Studebaker dealership.

After graduating from High School Donald went to work for The Alexander Yawkey Company, a sawmill located where Woodgrain Millwork currently is today. Donald did various jobs including driving forklift. Later Donald went to work for “Square Deal Furniture” for a couple of years but then returned to Alexander Yawkey’s. On September 29, 1950, Donald married Velma May Smith in Prineville, Oregon. About ten days later he received a notice to report to the U.S. Army. He spent two years in the army during the Korean War. Half of Donald’s troop was sent to Korea and the other half, including Donald, was sent to Germany. Upon returning home in 1952 he went to work for his father at the Studebaker business but the pay was not sufficient to support a family so he once again returned to Alexander Yawkey’s. His mill had a bowling team that Donald was a member of and one day Delbert Wilcox, who was then the Postmaster in Prineville, offered Donald a job at the Post Office with no guarantees that it would be permanent. But since Donald knew that Alexander Yawkey’s was planning on closing down, he decided to accept the job and began working for the Post Office in 1956. It was the last job he ever had as he retired from the Post Office 32 years later in 1988, although he did continue delivering mail as a substitute driver to the Mitchell area for the next three years.

For much of his life Donald loved hunting and spending time in the outdoors with a special talent of calling coyotes. He supported his children and grandchildren in all that they did and loved spending time with his family and friends. He was also an avid photographer and rarely went anywhere without his camera and would always order ‘double-prints’ so he could share his pictures with others. He enjoyed watching sports, especially baseball, and listening to country and western music.

After retiring, he volunteered driving the senior bus for the Senior Center and delivering meals on wheels. He especially enjoyed going on tours with the Crook County Historical Society learning about all the history in the area.

Donald is survived by all six of his children. Phil Cardin and wife Susan of Medford, Oregon. Tim Cardin and wife Kathy of Prineville, Oregon. Todd Cardin and wife Collette of Redmond, Oregon, Casey Cardin and wife Tammie of Prineville, Oregon. Lisa DeMoe and husband Brent of Keizer, Oregon. Linda Holland and husband Dan of Bend, Oregon. He is also survived by two brothers, Dean Cardin and wife Kay of New Plymouth, Idaho, Gerald and wife Wanda of Prineville, Oregon, one sister, Shirley Fullerton and husband Robert of Escondido, California, and sister-in-law Joyce Cardin of Albany, Oregon. Grandchildren include Melissa Hopwood, Amy Cardin-Topete; Megan Vasquez, Tyler Roberts, Mariah Vasquez, Spring Vincent, Sierra Cardin, Kyle Holdsworth, Alex Holdsworth, and Elijah Cardin; and Izaac, Brenden and Camren DeMoe; Great-Grandchildren are Cade, Maya, Neila, and Olivia Hopwood. Also numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents James Leslie and Hazel Cardin and his brother Calvin Cardin.

Arrangements are in the care of the Prineville Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Donald’s name to the Crook County Historical Society.