Donald Bruce Jendritza

Donald Bruce Jendritza of Fargo, North Dakota, died on January 20, 2024, just three days shy of his 85th birthday. The youngest of three boys to John and Elizabeth Jendritza, Don spent his early years in Fargo before his family moved to Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1957.

After graduation, Don proudly enlisted in the Air Force and served at various stations including Turkey before arriving at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he met his future wife Rose Marie Fonseca. Don and Marie celebrated their 63rd anniversary last October.

Don started his printing career at Deluxe Check Printers in Portland, Oregon, and Houston, Texas, before venturing into a brief partnership to start a rubber stamp and printing company. But Don was a man of uncompromising integrity without tolerance for anything less, so he left the partnership and started his own company, The Pied Press. Don and Marie operated the company for nearly 30 years as a printer and making rubber stamps, business cards and nameplates. Pied Press customers immediately recognized them by their signature bright yellow business cards and stamp deliveries from their tan CJ-7 Jeep.

Don spent his childhood playing in the outdoors where his love for fishing started. He fished in all bodies of water, and he particularly liked lake fishing and fishing with his buddies in Matagorda Bay. Don enjoyed sledding down snow covered Mt. Hood on inner tubes, camping, boating, water skiing, treasure hunting with his metal detector, frisbee, soaking in the sun on the Galveston and Surfside beaches, watching college and NFL football and reading.

He loved poker and hosting guys poker nights, and playing intense rounds of Mexican Train domino games with his family and friends. Don never passed up a ping pong game to show off his wicked serve. He even played badminton at a local Senior Olympics.

Don enjoyed driving vacations with Marie, his daughter Donna Marie, mother-in-law Rosa and their dogs to see the country and visit family. If dogs are man’s best friend, then Don was a dog’s best friend. He loved all his canine companions, probably even secretly liking Marie’s chihuahuas. Plus, for never being a “cat guy” he loved many felines along the way, too.

Don was always ready to entertain neighbors and friends. He could be seen slow smoking briskets, making his signature homemade barbecue sauce and turning on classic rock in anticipation of a big house party.

His generosity was immense from giving out candy to the kids who lived near his rubber stamp shop, to sharing his crop of homegrown tomatoes, to donating numerous full meals at Thanksgiving, to helping out a stranger in need. Don epitomized “giving the shirt off his back."

Don was a fierce defender of the Bill of Rights, particularly the second amendment. He strongly believed in our freedom and our unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. While being an unwavering patriot and proud veteran he did possess a healthy skepticism of the happenings of the world—he had “theories” but are they really theories if later they are found to be true?

Above all, Don was an adoring family man. He was a great son, loving brother, devoted husband and wonderful father. Don loved Jesus Christ and held a deep faith. He was a true friend to many.

Don will be remembered by his generous spirit, infectious laugh, fun nature and kind heart.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Richard “Dick” and Warren, veterans of the Navy and the Air Force respectively. Survivors are his wife Marie and daughter Donna Marie. Don will make his final rest at Houston National Cemetery.

Patriotic flower arrangements or plants will be deeply appreciated at his service at Calvary Hill Funeral Home in Humble, Texas on Friday February 2, 2024.