Rhino
Super Moderator
Don's service was bittersweet as you might expect. With 1,000 funny stories to relate after 35 years of Don's generosity and friendship to tell. I told a precious few. Even stoic ol' Kent Kirkpatrick got up and told a humorous travel tale that left him and others dewy-eyed.
"Wherever I went with Don, I knew I was safe"
Greg Metge wrote a short tribute, that I was honored to read aloud:
"Don and I met in the mid 70’s when he moved to Des Moines. A shared interest in armor, figure modeling, and dioramas made us friends and competitors. Don never boasted or relished winning with his work and did not have disdain for judges or his competitors. Rather, he enjoyed talking about and explaining his art.
We spent almost six years working together at Great Hobby Adventures. Don was in his element when he could impart his knowledge to a novice modeler (or even a seasoned builder) and have that new information blossom into an elevated creation. In his best Darth Vader impression voice he would turn to me and say, “The Force is strong with this one!”
Building outstanding model art was not Don’s only passion. He read history, listened to music, discussed politics, recreated comedy sketches and albums, retold tales from his life in Flint, Michigan and Puerto Rico. His famous passion was food, especially smoking meats.
We spent three hours together at his house a couple of weeks before he passed. He was in poor health but still learning about painting techniques and paying that knowledge forward. He laughed as we recalled several “situations” we lived through at Great Hobby Adventures.
I will always have a great friend in Don. I learned much from him from glues to blues to hues to Bar B Que. most of all I learned that it’s not what you have, rather it’s what you share, especially of yourself."
I wrote this small fantasy:
"Dian was kissing his head Tuesday morning when he woke up. She said
"Don, honey, wake up. There are some people here to see you."
He roused and found he could stand, breathe and walk without pain. Their bathroom was even on the main floor.
Outside were Paul Steffenson, Tommy Bly, Chuck Sterns and Gilbert Wheeler, all hale and hearty.
Gilbert said "We were worried about you. They don't let you up here if you harm yourself. We've been waiting for you."
Tom smiles at Don and says "Al Griffith didn't make it. He loved little more than himself ".
Paul said "You made it! Welcome home!"
Chuck, grinning his signature grin with his perfect hair, smiles and nods. "1/144 C-54 with a turned nosewheel from an Armor Guy? Not too bad, buddy."
The BEST Chocolate shakes in a little café' by the side of the streets of gold. His mom & dad to visit.
I wonder what the Local Hobby Shop in Heaven is like. Free shipping and no backorders. I'll bet even Trumpeter kits in Heaven have instructions that make sense! Imagine what the Model Contest On High is like!
Don's little sister and her husband will carry the remains of both Don And Dian to their new place that over looks the Sangre de Christo mountains near Westcliffe, CO, for their final resting place. For a Man of great stature and a heart as big as a mountain, this seems quite fitting to me.
"Wherever I went with Don, I knew I was safe"
Greg Metge wrote a short tribute, that I was honored to read aloud:
"Don and I met in the mid 70’s when he moved to Des Moines. A shared interest in armor, figure modeling, and dioramas made us friends and competitors. Don never boasted or relished winning with his work and did not have disdain for judges or his competitors. Rather, he enjoyed talking about and explaining his art.
We spent almost six years working together at Great Hobby Adventures. Don was in his element when he could impart his knowledge to a novice modeler (or even a seasoned builder) and have that new information blossom into an elevated creation. In his best Darth Vader impression voice he would turn to me and say, “The Force is strong with this one!”
Building outstanding model art was not Don’s only passion. He read history, listened to music, discussed politics, recreated comedy sketches and albums, retold tales from his life in Flint, Michigan and Puerto Rico. His famous passion was food, especially smoking meats.
We spent three hours together at his house a couple of weeks before he passed. He was in poor health but still learning about painting techniques and paying that knowledge forward. He laughed as we recalled several “situations” we lived through at Great Hobby Adventures.
I will always have a great friend in Don. I learned much from him from glues to blues to hues to Bar B Que. most of all I learned that it’s not what you have, rather it’s what you share, especially of yourself."
I wrote this small fantasy:
"Dian was kissing his head Tuesday morning when he woke up. She said
"Don, honey, wake up. There are some people here to see you."
He roused and found he could stand, breathe and walk without pain. Their bathroom was even on the main floor.
Outside were Paul Steffenson, Tommy Bly, Chuck Sterns and Gilbert Wheeler, all hale and hearty.
Gilbert said "We were worried about you. They don't let you up here if you harm yourself. We've been waiting for you."
Tom smiles at Don and says "Al Griffith didn't make it. He loved little more than himself ".
Paul said "You made it! Welcome home!"
Chuck, grinning his signature grin with his perfect hair, smiles and nods. "1/144 C-54 with a turned nosewheel from an Armor Guy? Not too bad, buddy."
The BEST Chocolate shakes in a little café' by the side of the streets of gold. His mom & dad to visit.
I wonder what the Local Hobby Shop in Heaven is like. Free shipping and no backorders. I'll bet even Trumpeter kits in Heaven have instructions that make sense! Imagine what the Model Contest On High is like!
Don's little sister and her husband will carry the remains of both Don And Dian to their new place that over looks the Sangre de Christo mountains near Westcliffe, CO, for their final resting place. For a Man of great stature and a heart as big as a mountain, this seems quite fitting to me.
