March 23, 1936 - August 5, 2010
Donovan Joe Giese, beloved husband, father and grandfather, was received into the Lord’s presence on August 5, 2010, with his wife, daughter Shelley and son-in-law Kevin Strecker by his side in Brentwood, California. Don was born in Minot, North Dakota to William and Ada Giese on March 23, 1936. The family, which included Don’s older sister, Merna, relocated to Olympia, Washington. It was in Olympia that Don met his life long friend and partner in mischief, Ken Michael. Don was granted the degree of Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering (magna cum laude) from the University of Washington in 1958. Don and Patricia McDanel were married in Washington on January 20, 1959. General Dynamics in Southern California employed Don for eight years. Three children were born: Donovan Jay Giese, Brandt Matthew Giese, and Michelle Rae Giese McFadden. In 1963 the University of Southern California conferred the degree of Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering upon Don. The family returned to Washington in 1967 where Don worked as a Senior Principal Engineer for the Boeing Company in the defensive missile program. He retired as an honored employee on July 1, 1995.
In April of 1975 Don met Charlene June Graf Haselberger, single mother of baby Michelle Nicole (Shelley) Haselberger at a college class on how to survive divorce and separation. On October 21, 1977, they were married in Bellevue, Washington with Ken Michael as best man. Don and Charlene have lived in Bellevue, Issaquah and Port Orchard, Washington. They relocated to Brentwood, California in September 2009 to be near Kevin and Shelley.
Throughout his married life Don served his Lord as a Presbyterian elder and lived a life of honesty, integrity and devotion to God and to his entire family. A quiet man, he was a deeply sensitive one as well. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed all that Washington had to offer: fishing, boating, hiking, camping, dirt bike riding, felling firewood. He found great joy in working with his two Doberman Pinchers in obedience training, as he later did with his Miniature Schnauzer, Bandi. He was a gifted still and video photographer, a skilled investment manager, and a lover of music.
His mother, father and sister preceded Don in death. Don is survived by his devoted wife, Charlene; sons Jay (Tara) Giese and Brandt Giese, daughters Michelle (John) McFadden and Shelley (Kevin) Strecker; four grandchildren Paris, Isabel and Donovan Giese and Joseph McFadden; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
There will be a private burial in Antioch, California. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, August 22, 2010, at 3 pm at Adventure of Faith Church, 4705 Jackson Avenue SE, Port Orchard, WA 98366; telephone 360-876-0061.
A survivor of Juvenile Diabetes for 46 years, remembrances may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004; or online at jdrf.org. As Don deeply loved the music program of Adventure of Faith, memorials honoring him may be sent to Adventure of Faith Church, Port Orchard, WA.
Arrangements under the direction of Brentwood Funeral Home, Brentwood, CA.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18