Donald Benjamin Bluhm

Donald was born to Benjamin & Sylvia Bluhm on July 21st, 1929, in Paynesville, MN., in the fall of 1942 they made the journey out west first residing in Coeur d’Alene, ID., then on to the Columbia Basin in the spring of 1943 and made their residence in Ephrata, WA. This is where they raised their three children Carol, Donald, and Robert. Bud graduated as the Salutatorian of his class from Ephrata High School in 1947 and soon joined the Washington Army National Guard. At the age of twenty-four he became a full-time administrative assistant and retired in 1989 as a CW4 with 42 years of service. He met his wife Delvina (DeDe) in Ephrata and soon after moved to Yakima where they were married on Feb. 14th, 1964, this is where they made their home raising four sons and a daughter. He was a member of the American Legion Post #36. After DeDe’s passing in 2001, he started learning the computer to occupy his time and soon met Dona (Mankin), in 2008 he and Dona were married, they both enjoyed traveling, watching football, baseball and collaborating on her genealogy hobby.

Bud loved the outdoors and his family. He enjoyed playing golf, camping, fishing, wood carving, and bowling. Dad also loved to grill and smoke meats, cheeses, and anything else that could he put in his smoker, often doing up to 5 Turkeys at a time for the Yakima National Guard Armory Christmas parties. He was a very humble, compassionate, loving, inspiring son, husband, and father, always there to hear you out and offer words of wisdom and encouragement. A well-known saying, he often would use was, “Illegitimi non carborundum,” don’t let the bastards grind you down, in other words “let it go.” Something he believed in and lived by.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents, wife Delvina (DeDe), wife Dona, sister Carol Olsen, and son John. He is survived by his brother Robert (Marilynn) Bluhm, Ephrata, WA., son Thomas (Amber) Gilstrap, Yakima, WA., son Walter Bluhm, Ephrata, WA., daughter Audrey Mitchell, Branson, MO., and son Alan (Heather) Bluhm of Moses Lake, WA., several grandkids, great-grandkids, nephews, and nieces.

A memorial service for Bud will held Friday, September 22, 2023, from 12:00PM to 1:00PM at West Hills Memorial Park, 11800 Douglas Rd., Yakima, WA 98908 this is where he will be laid to rest alongside our mother. Funeral arrangements by Langevin-El Paraiso Funeral Home.