Donald & Lorraine Leonard

Donald Forrest Leonard
12/27/1924 – 9/19/2023

Lorraine Marie Leonard
9/22/1933 – 10/10/2023

Together in Life, Together in Death

Don Leonard passed away peacefully on September 19, 2023.  Lorraine Leonard, his beloved wife of seventy-one years, joined him on October 10, 2023 – three weeks later, almost to the hour.
Don suffered a stroke in August, followed by pneumonia.   Unbeknownst to her or Family, Lorraine had stage 4 lung cancer.  Fortunately, these two lived meaningful, joyous, loving and delightfully healthy long lives as Don was closing in on his 99th birthday in December, and Lorraine just turned 90 in September.  

Don was born in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, the third child of Glenna and Forrest Leonard, where farming was the occupation of choice.  In 1940 the Family sold the farm and moved to Boulder, Colorado where Don began his lifelong passion for golf on the Bolder High golf team.  Don attended the University of Colorado for one year until he joined the Service.  As a member of the Paratrooper Infantry Division, Company G in the 513 Regiment, Don fought bravely to defend our Country and was wounded as a paratrooper in the Battle of the Bulge, WWII and a second time while jumping the Rhine. 

Lorraine was born in Tacoma, WA, the first of 2 children of Margie and Sherm Fligge.  Margie and Sherm’s marriage were short lived.  But a few years later Margie met Bill Wellan, the man of her dreams, and became her husband and wonderful father to her two small children.  When Margie and Bill were married in 1943, Lorraine became Lorraine Wellan.  She not only gained a great Dad, but 4 sisters and another brother.  After graduating from Clover Park High, Lorraine went to work at the XXX Drive In as a car hop.

Fate rang true.  After being discharged from his military service with two purple hearts, his love of ice cream – and God – guided him to the XXX, just down the street from his family’s home and service station.  The rest is history.  She couldn’t resist the handsome soldier in uniform pulling in with his 1950 Sand Pedro Ivory and Sierra Rust Catalina Pontiac.  Likewise, the smitten soldier knew the beautiful brunette would become his “garden gate” sweetheart.  Proof that when fate strikes it’s solid, the handsome couple was engaged for only 4 short months before their 71-year loving marriage started in July 1952 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland.

A man of many talents, Don supported his family by working at Veltex Oil, Globe Ticket Company, Pochels Distributing and Woodworth & Company before following his ambitions in 1964 when he started his own business, Don’s Dozing Service.  Wife Lorraine used her “#2 pencil” to do the accounting for the dozing business.  Their reputation for hard work, honesty, and integrity soon turned this little mom and pop operation into a flourishing business, providing an ample income for the family and employment in the years to come for their three sons, requiring them to eventually change the name of the company to Don Leonard & Sons. Leonard & Company continues to thrive today, soon to recognize its 60-year anniversary this next year.

Children Donna Albers (Scott Schulz), Bruce (Terry McCabe Leonard), Bill (deceased) and Brian (deceased) (Terri Richards) were born after Don & Lorraine’s 1954 move to their 60-acre farm with 2 livable houses, a large barn and shop in Spanaway, bought for $27,000.  Don’s climb to honorary “mayor of Spanaway,” voted in over breakfast one Saturday morning at the big table at Little Park Restaurant, cemented their roots as Don and Lorraine raised their family and grew the business in that idyllic countryside.

They retired by selling the business to their 3 sons in 1987. What followed were many trips in their various road rigs, sometimes solo sometimes with some of their many friends, to places like Nova Scotia, Branson MO, and to several army reunions throughout the US.  Once they’d seen it all, they traded the travel trailer for a part time Arizona condo to keep the sun overhead for the next 10 years.
Don and Lorraine leave an ever-lasting legacy of what it means to raise a loving family including grandchildren Chris Albers (Tiff); Ashley Albers; Tia Brant (Shane), Jaycee Decker (Alex), Lukus, Elli Hicker (Ben), Kirstin Srisaneha (Nang), Cameron (Josie), Gillian, and great grandchildren Brayden, Cambrie, Talia, Angel, Silas, Raegan, Warner, Izzy, Samuel, Blaise, Beau, Russell and Lily.   

Thank you from all who’ve known you, for being the best role models ever as you showed us what it looks like to love all, love big and love God.

A celebration of what it means to “have our health and each other’s love,” one of Don’s favorite sayings, will be held on Veteran’s Day, November 11th at 1:00 at their church, New Life Fellowship, 10209-299th Street East, Graham.   A hosted reception will follow at Frontier Park, 21718 Meridian Avenue East, Graham.  

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