Donald Gaston Sweazey

Born in Webster City, I owa on March 22 to Muriel and John Sweazey, Don moved to West Seattle, Washington as a young child. He was a go-getter and a hard worker and could often be found working alongside his dad as a kid, whether it was hauling logs out of Puget Sound for firewood, fixing cars or fishing.

At the age of 8, Don could be found down at the Seattle shipyards selling newspapers to the dock workers. He always loved telling the story of how each day his stack of papers would shrink down faster than he could rake in the coins at the end of each working day. He took great pride in having made a cent and a half for each paper sold.

A DIYer from an early age, Don built his first home on Corliss Avenue at the age of 17 for his soon to be wife. He married his high school sweetheart, Jacqueline Popovich, at the age of 18.

He joined the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany where his first son, Nicholas, was born. Once his term of service was completed, the family of three moved back to their home on Corliss and were eventually joined by sons Chris and Mike and daughter Cathy.

A self made man, Don sold cars and founded his own company, Dojac Parking. He had a reputation for handshake deals and was a big believer in hard work and in one’s word being their bond. He didn’t like laziness and we all heard that over the years.

Don had a lust for life that was contagious and he was often smiling, laughing and cracking jokes. He lived every moment to the fullest and you couldn’t help but get excited right along with him when he was excited about something. If you told him he couldn’t do something, he would look at you and say “watch me.” He was an Aries through and through.

He was never one to let age get in the way of new adventures. At 60, he decided to take up skiing and did quite well. While he didn’t qualify for the Olympic team, he did manage to land one out of three bunny jumps on the Daisy run at Stevens Pass. He also dabbled in his own one man competitive eating contest, tackling five hot fudge sundaes during one epic spring outing to a soda shop in Three Sisters, Oregon. In his 80s he tackled exploring the Colorado mountains via four wheeler over several multi day trips. At 90, he joined his younger grandsons in a game of Beanboozled and was left traumatized by the fact that a jelly bean that should taste like Tutti Fruitti might actually taste like Stinky Socks.

Exotic foods were also on the adventure menu, as he tried everything from ebelskiver and jellyfish to Rocky Mountain Oysters over the years.

Don was a professional garage organizer by trade well before that ever became a profession. He loved playing his own real world version of Tetris as his passion was moving boxes from one garage to another and making sure everything fit perfectly. He loved labeling things but eschewed those fancy label makers as preferred a good old fashioned black sharpie.

He had a life-long love affair with corn on the cob, oysters, Caesar salad, medium rare steaks, fried chicken, root beer floats, elephant ears, hot fudge sundaes, homemade fudge and cinnamon rolls and warm, just out of the oven chocolate chip cookies.

Don enjoyed classic cars, a stiff Manhattan, the Hawaiian islands, the Rat Pack, garage sales, old tools, the Seahawks and squirrel jokes, but not necessarily in that order.

He loved watching John Wayne movies, WW2 documentaries, America’s Got Talent, Dr. Phil, The Voice and Dancing with the Stars. A highlight of his later years was telling everyone that Brooke Burke from Dancing with the Stars was his girlfriend after she sent him an autographed photo and a birthday wish video.

He treasured his grandkids and adored his role as Papa. He was always up for a super sour candy challenge or attempting a drawing tutorial taught by his 10 year old grandson. He enjoyed having the grand kids sleep over and hearing them run around like a “herd of elephants” upstairs, taking the grandkids to McDonalds and a movie, watching them jump on the trampoline or riding around the yard on their bikes, scooters or four wheelers.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Muriel and John Sweazey, his sister Audrey (Sweazey) Cheshier, brother John Sweazey and his first wife, Jacqueline (Popovich) Sweazey. He is survived by his wife, Kay Sweazey; his children and their spouses Nicholas Sweazey, Chris (Jolene) Sweazey, Mike (Kathy Tu Chau) Sweazey, Cathy (Ed) Hansen, Tara (Mike) Wann and Shaun (Katy) Leiser; grandchildren and their spouses Stuart (Jason Malone) Sweazey, Griffin (Leticia) Sweazey, Cameron Sweazey, Carson Bergquist, Hudson Leiser, Alexander Wann, Easton Leiser and Atticus Wann.

He was very much loved and will be sorely missed by all that knew and loved him.

“May the winds of heaven blow softly and whisper in your ear...how much we love and miss you and wish that you were here.”

A funeral service for Donald will be held Sunday, October 10, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home, 11111 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the SWEAZEY family.