Donald Ernest Kephart

Don was born on April 29, 1931 in Port Gamble, WA to George and Dorothy Kephart. He attended Beaumont Elementary School and Grant High School in Portland, and he graduated from Reed College in 1954 with a B.A. in Chemistry. Don married his high-school sweetheart, Silva Austin in 1953. He served two years in the U.S. Army and then worked for Tektronix as a chemical engineer for 37 years, including work in the CRT department where he was a co-inventor on three patents.

Don was a lover of music and astronomy, and his family always appreciated his many woodworking and home remodeling projects. He played violin in the Marylhurst Community Orchestra for 25 years and was a member of Valley Community Church for over 50 years. Don was a compassionate and loving husband, father and grandfather.

Don is survived by Silva, his loving wife of nearly 60 years; five children: David (Yihui), Margaret Waldram (Paul), Kathy Tonegawa, Ginny Lensing (Gary), and Mike (Keiko); and eight grandchildren: Megan, Brian, Naoki, Chelsey, Jason, Elisa, Nicholas, and Colby. He is also survived by his sister, Patricia Young. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Hannah Rose Lensing.

Services will be held at Valley Community Church on Dec. 31at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to The American Cancer Society or the Michael J. Fox Foundation.