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Donald Joel Alexander |
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July 21, 1942 ~ August 27, 2017 |
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September 1, 2017 |
Don Alexander, 75, passed away peacefully in his
home in Bonners Ferry, with his family by his
side, on August 27, 2017, from complications due
to kidney failure.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday,
September 16, at United Methodist Church, 6568
Lincoln Street, Bonners Ferry.
A luncheon will be served by the Bonners Ferry
United Methodist women following the service.
Donald Joel Alexander was born on July 21, 1942,
in Bonners Ferry to Matthew and Florence
(Douglas) Alexander.
Don grew up on the family farm in Parker Canyon
and rode his horse to Cow Creek School. He later
attended school in Bonners Ferry and graduated
from Bonners Ferry High School in 1961. Don
entered the army in 1962, where he was stationed
in Germany. He was honorably discharge in 1965.
He then went to work at Alexander Towing and
Central Solvents in Spokane. While working at
Alexanders he married Julie Brazier. With this
marriage he gained a daughter, Leslie, and had
one more daughter, Lisa. They later divorced.
While still in Spokane, he married Pat Nelson
Fulgham and gained two daughters, Stephanie and
Danielle. They had one daughter together, Lael.
They moved back to Bonners Ferry, building a
home on his family farm. While in Bonners Ferry,
Don worked at the saw mill and drove logging
truck and worked for the railroad as a
signalman. He went to work at the City of
Bonners Ferry in 1983 as a lineman.
Don and Pat later divorced.
In 2001, Don renewed an old relationship with
Gayle Boyce Ralph and they married later that
year. With that union, Don gained a son. Don and
Gayle remained married until his passing.
Don retired in 2004. He and Gayle traveled in
their RV for several years until health problems
changed their plans and they were forced to stay
closer to home. He remained in his Parker Canyon
home until his passing.
Don was devoted to the 4-H program and was a
leader for 15 years. He also served on the fair
board for 15 years, where he was instrumental in
getting the new pig and sheep barn built. He
enjoyed camping, picking huckleberries, fishing
and traveling in their RV. One of his favorite
trips was a family trip to the Oregon Coast with
all the kids and grandkids.
Don was preceded in death by his parents,
Matthew and Florence Alexander, and his
grandson, C.J. Erickson.
He is survived by his wife, Gayle, daughters
Leslie (Paul), Lisa, Stephanie (Chris),
Danielle, and Lael (Bill) and son Bob. He is
also survived by his grandchildren; Samantha
Shelton, Natalie Shelton, Zoe Shelton, Charlie
Shelton, Mikki Erickson, Sasha Alexander, Austin
Kerr, Gabriel Lewandowski, Gavin Lewandowski,
Destinee Davis, Echo Davis, Lexie Levesque,
Kaylee McCabe, Matthew McCabe, Steven Diller and
Michael Diller, and great grandchildren Pyre
Sepulveda, Gabriel Green and Joslyn Green.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in
Don’s honor to the local Bonners Ferry 4-H
program or to the National Kidney Foundation at
www.kidney.org
or 30 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.
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