Donald (Don) W. Monroe

Donald (Don) W. Monroe 83 passed away Tuesday February 15, 2011 in Yakima after a brief illness. Don was born July 30, 1927 in Naches Washington to Scottish immigrants William and Theresa Monroe. At eight months old the family moved to Tieton where they purchased forty acres and started a fruit ranch. After graduating in 1946 from Highland High School, competing as a multi-sport athlete, Don was drafted into the Army where he served in Korea at the end of WWII as occupation troops for one year. Upon returning he enrolled in the Body and Fender program at J.M. Perry Technical School. After seventeen months in the program he was offered a job at Farley Gatter Chevrolet in Naches. There he met his future wife Dolores Baird, but just months later he was redrafted into the Army and once again headed back for the Korean War. Twenty-one months later he returned to Tieton and married Dolores on September 28, 1952. In 1954 he was hired as a Yakima City Firefighter where he spent the next thirty-two years serving on the department retiring as a lieutenant enjoying every moment to the very end, when he was afraid to take a nap in fear of missing one last fire call.

On his days off Don worked building homes with Ron Hartoon and other contractors. Towards the end of his firefighting career he shared his knowledge of fire service, training volunteers around the state.

Don was a great husband, father, and grandfather. After he built their home, Don and Dolores had their first child, Dawn in 1955. From that time Don always found time to have fun with family and friends; whether it be riding the trail 90 with Dawn up front with special adapted pegs through the hills in the summer, or camping at the beach in the trailer he built. In 1964 their second child, Todd, arrived. This was the time that snowmobiling was gaining popularity. Don and Todd would spend weekends and vacation time snowmobiling with family and friends. The best times were the Friday night follies, trying to snowmobile into Ed Whutke’s cabin, above Tieton, to spend the night.

About forty years ago Don got back to his tinkering roots and his first restoration project was bringing back to life the City of Yakima’s 1931 Seagrave Engine #7. After that he bought his first “one lunger gas engine”. This was the beginning of a passion that he and Todd shared for more than forty years. Together Don and Todd have owned and restored over fifty old engines, tractors, and other antique farm machinery. Most memorable of these was an engine that Don, Todd, family and friends retrieved from Rimrock Lake after it had been under water for more than sixty years and a 1942 Case orchard tractor like his folks first tractor used on the ranch in Tieton.

This passion led Don to become a charter member and past president of the Central Washington Antique Farm Equipment Club and an active member of the Central Washington Agricultural Museum. At the museum he spent many hours as a volunteer and docent, especially after he retired from the fire department.

Another of Don’s passions was spending time with his two granddaughters, Dru-Megan Hester and Hannah Hester. Early on, trips around the Mulberry bush on a tractor, motorcycle, or other motorized modes of transportation; soon became Grandpa taking them to the “musum”. There he and Dolores would keep them involved and contributing, as well as teaching them about old engines, tractors, and learning the skill of baking bread on a wood cook stove. As the granddaughters grew he would follow their careers in school and on the athletic fields.

Don was a member of Yakima Retired Firefighters Association, Central Washington Agricultural Museum, Central Washington Antique Farm Equipment Club, Yakima Engineers Club as well as a member of the Naches Masonic Lodge #211 F&AM.

No one was a stranger and he was a Bletherskite to the end!

Don was preceded in death by his wife Dolores of 54 years, and older brother James Monroe.

He is survived by his daughter and son in-law Dawn and Dick Hester, Son: Todd Monroe, two granddaughters, Dru and Hannah Hester. Sister: Jean Yates (Kennewick), Brothers: Alan (Jane) Monroe (Stanwood), Richard (Kathy) Monroe (Rock Island) and numerous nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to the staff of Blossom House for the great care they gave to Dad.

Visiting hours will be held from 3 until 8 p.m. Friday, February 18, 2011 at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, February 19, 2011 at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel. Concluding services and burial will follow at Tahoma Cemetery with full military honors conducted by William Wharton Post #379 VFW and Washington State National Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Central Washington Agricultural Museum.