Yesterday was the “Gathering” to say goodbye to our friend Don, who died Feb. 3 at 95 years of age.

Don was our across-the-street neighbor for many years, until the old-people’s carriage, an ambulance, took him to the hospital in the Fall of 2021.  He didn’t come home, but led the rest of his long life in a local nursing home, long outliving expectations.  Until the last year or so, his quality of life was pretty good.  Here is his obit.

Don was a ‘character’ – then again, all of us are characters, regardless of age.  Over the years I took quite a few pictures of him.  This one, in Lanesboro in 2018, was one that caught my attention.  He got a kick out of it.

The Memorial Card had quite a different photograph: of Don with Audrey Hepburn at, he said, an Academy Awards in the distant past.  He and she were born in the same year.  There is a story, of course.  Many.  Probably all true.  All interesting.

Don’s small home was quite literally a gallery,  almost a museum.  There was not a wall in his house, nary a room, that was not full of an eclectic collection of art, some of which he did himself.   I’m guessing few people saw this museum – he was pretty careful about who was allowed in, probably with good reason.  Once he showed my son, Tom, around.  Tom was very impressed.  (Don, in the below photo, from 7 years ago, wears the same green sweater he wears for eternity – it was his dress at the open casket yesterday.)

This piece would be very long if I went down all the side streets of Don’s life.  His love for birds that stopped by, especially the crows.  His always interest in antique shopping.  His love of nature generally.  Growing up in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood.

One early New Year we had taken him out for a drive, and it was the perfect chance to take a picture of his favorite tree, a gnarly oak at Lake Middle School.  My photo  became part of his gallery until his death, literally.

So long, Don.  Been good to know you.

COMMENTS:

from Tom (in third picture above): Don was a fascinating guy. His house was probably one of my favorite museums. It is sad to hear of his passing.