Donald Owen Stansbury passed away peacefully in his sleep April 22, 2007 at Life Care Center Mount Vernon after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born March 10, 1927 in Tonasket, Wash., Don grew up in Oroville until the age of 16, after which he moved with his family to Tacoma. He graduated in 1944 from Lincoln High School in Tacoma along with his future wife “Wilma.”

Don enlisted in the United States Navy in 1945. He served during World War II, Korea and Vietnam, progressing through the enlisted ranks to Chief Petty Officer before being commissioned as an officer, retiring in 1967 as a Lieutenant attached to ship’s company of the USS Coral Sea.

During his distinguished 22 1/2 year military career he was stationed in a number of places around the world including Seattle, Whidbey Island, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Japan and the Philippines among many others. After retiring from the Navy, Don lived in Oak Harbor and spent many years working in the flower bulb industry throughout the Skagit Valley. In 1977, he moved the family to Sedro-Woolley where he worked as an industrial heating sales representative. He later retired and lived out the remainder of his life in Sedro-Woolley.

Music and gardening filled his life with joy, both of which he passed on to his family. He shared his love of gardening with anyone who would listen, including his family and the many people he taught in gardening classes. He sang barbershop harmony for more than 20 years with the An-O-Chords, the Bellingham Toppers and numerous barbershop quartets, as well as with several different church choirs and quartets for over 40 years. Don continued to sing until his final days, even as the effects of Alzheimer’s progressed.

Don is survived by his wife of 57 1/2 years, Karin “Wilma” Stansbury at the family home in Sedro-Woolley; his six children, Robert Stansbury of Sedro-Woolley, Karin Frolander of Sedro-Woolley, Kristen Brown and her husband Ken of Sedro-Woolley, Elizabeth Hammack and her husband Wes of Mount Vernon, Karl Stansbury and his wife Laura of Sedro-Woolley, and Melanie Lovingier and her husband Shawn of Mount Vernon; his 11 grandchildren, Lisa Swanson and her husband Will, Kristi Frolander, Jonny Frolander, Matthew Scott, Danny McPheeters and his wife Monica, Shannon Fernandez, Sandra Fernandez, Joshua Stansbury, Adam Stansbury, Kelsi Lovingier and Kaleb Lovingier; his six great-grandchildren, Jason Swanson, Xavier Swanson, Sebastian Scott, Shaylene Fernandez, Alex McPheeters and Bryce McPheeters; his sister, Doris Clevenger and husband Roger of Portland, Ore.; and nephew Alan Clevenger of Oregon City.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Frances Stansbury, his grandson Jason Stansbury and his nephew Roger Lee Clevenger.

Private graveside services were held April 26 followed by a public memorial service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Sedro-Woolley.

Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer Society of Washington at www.alzsociety.org or the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org. Please share your thoughts of Donald and sign the online guestbook at www.hawthornefh.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Mount Vernon.