Donald Ray Wharton

Donald was born in Miller, South Dakota on October 1, 1933 to Glenn and Olive (Williams) Wharton. He was raised and educated in Miller and later moved to the Yakima Valley. Donald served in the US Navy from 1952 until his honorable discharge in 1956. He was later married on October 11, 1958 to Patricia Louise Foster in Yakima. He attended Yakima Valley Community College and Perry Technical Institute in Yakima. Donald was employed at Hanford for many years before taking a position as an Audio Visual technician with the Yakima School District #7. His career with the school district spanned twenty three years before his retirement. Donald was also employed by the Yakima Meadows Turf Club for twenty years.

He was an active member of Christian Life Center. He also volunteered for Life Line for fifteen years.

Donald is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Pederson (Mike) and Jeanine Cook both of Yakima; and a son, Michael D. Wharton (Lana) of Vancouver, WA; two granddaughters and a brother, William Wharton (Lorraine) of Miller, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Wharton; an infant daughter, Julia Wharton; his parents, Glenn and Olive Wharton; grandchildren, Ryan and Kaylen Pederson and Timothy and Austin Wharton; a sister Mary Scherschligt and two brothers, Dick Wharton and Robert Wharton.

A special thanks to Dr. Richard Boyd for Don’s Health care for many years. Also a special thanks to Don’s caregivers, Aloha Starbuck and Lori Wright as well as to Orchard Park.

Visitation will be held at Keith & Keith Funeral Home on Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A Funeral service will be held at Christian Life Center on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. with a committal service to follow at West Hills Memorial Park.

To celebrate the life of Donald and share a memory visit www.keithandkeith.com.