Donald Halverson

Donald Ulrich Halverson November 16, 1918 — January 20, 2018 Donald Ulrich Halverson, age 99, passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at his home in Hughesville, MD. Don was born in Lewistown, Montana, and grew up in the tiny homesteading town of Winifred, in central Montana. Upon graduation from Winifred High School in 1937 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), working on land conservation projects in Washington. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was drafted into the Army. Boot camp was served in the U.S. Cavalry at Fort Riley, Kansas before being transferred to the 40th Combat Engineer Regiment to serve in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany. Upon the war ending he left the military to attend the University of Washington. During this time his aunt in Seattle introduced him to Irene Kohn, who became the love of his life, and they were married on December 29, 1951. He was recalled by the Army during the Korean War to stateside duty in Bethesda, MD, where the newlyweds had an apartment. He was discharged from the Army with rank of Captain and returned to the University of Washington to complete his degree in geology. In his career as a petroleum geologist, Don was employed by Texaco, working in various offices in Montana (Lewistown), Colorado (Denver), and New Mexico (Farmington). After early retirement from Texaco, he worked several years for ANR in Denver. His early years with Texaco required field work and spending weeks away to work at oil and gas wells that were being drilled. Although he hated the time away from family, the excitement of the hopeful discoveries and travel in remote areas of Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota left him with many great memories and stories to tell over the years. Don and Irene were blessed with the birth of son Marc in 1957 and daughter Tracy in 1959. Texaco moved their offices to Denver in 1959 so the family had to relocate. They purchased a home in Edgewater (just west of Denver) but were relocated in 1966 to Farmington, NM for a couple of years, then returned to Denver. They enjoyed homes in the Green Mountain area of Lakewood, with Don keeping lawns and landscapes in beautiful condition. Their favorite home was the last one they enjoyed together, a patio home on So. Johnson Circle. They made many good friends with many of the neighbors in the seniors-only community. Don was always very involved in his children’s activities and teaching them all the life skills he had gathered during his rich life. He served as a Cub Scout leader and helped with merit badge projects and scout camping trips. He and Irene loved spending time in the summer on their mountain property on Gore Pass near Kremmling, CO, enjoying campfires, star gazing, and fishing. There was always an open invitation for friends and family to drive up and enjoy the day or bring an RV to camp out. His favorite leisure activity was trout fishing on small streams. Sometimes the hikes to the best fishing holes or catching grasshoppers for bait took more time than the actual fishing, but this was all part of the fun and adventure for Don. During the retirement years, Don and Irene enjoyed gardening, a monthly potluck dinner group, and social gatherings with ex-Texaco colleagues. For 17 years, they wintered in Tucson at a senior mobile home community and also enjoyed RV travel across the U.S. with their 5th wheel trailer. They visited 49 of the 50 states. Don always looked forward to and enjoyed the annual reunions of his Army regiment which were held across the country in various cities. A special trip in 1980 to Palermo, Sicily, gave Don the opportunity to share with Irene some of his WWII memories. A particularly special moment was placing the American flag on the same landing spot on the beach in Sicily. After losing his beloved wife Irene and son Marc in 2006, Don moved with his daughter and her family to rural southern Maryland. The new home was on 3-1/2 acres, complete with pastures, pond, and farm buildings, and reminiscent of his childhood home in Montana. Life in Maryland was a wonderful new adventure for Don. He had much to keep him active such as his vegetable garden, endless “fix-it” tasks and landscaping projects, and care of the resident goats, ducks, and barn cat. He often spent all day outside working around the property, driving his cherished utility cart that he had refurbished to haul all his tools and gardening supplies. When outdoor work was done, he was found assisting with household chores, meal preparations, and care for Tracy’s show dogs. He continued these activities until his final months and was so pleased to be able to contribute to the running of the household at such an advanced age. Don loved to keep in touch by phone with friends and family and share stories of his life in Maryland. He was able to return to Montana and Colorado on several memorable trips, accompanied by daughter Tracy or son-in-law Russ. His Montana visits always included a day or two of trout fishing on Big Spring Creek in Lewistown, always one of his favorite activities. Don was very proud of his Norwegian heritage -- a member of the Sons of Norway and food fan of lutefisk and pickled herring. He enjoyed watching professional baseball and football on television and listening or dancing to the swing music of the 1940s, especially the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Master in Lakewood. His interests were wide ranging and his DIY mindset fueled his curiosity about how things worked and how to fix or repair almost anything. His knowledge on countless topics never ceased to amaze people and his storytelling was treasured by family and friends who never missed an opportunity to listen and learn. He was an excellent teacher, a natural leader, a helpful neighbor, a hard worker, and a good listener. He exhibited the values of personal responsibility, integrity, love of country, and work ethic shared by those from the “Greatest Generation.” He had a very kind heart, an open mind, and a positive attitude. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. Don is survived by his daughter Tracy Burdick and her husband Russ of Hughesville, MD, granddaughter Krista Burdick, nephew Glenn Halverson, niece Cheryll Tuss, and other loving relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Minnie, his wife Irene, his brother Glenn, and his son Marc. Funeral service to be held on Friday, May 25, 2018, 10:30am at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd. followed by lunch reception. Interment with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to charity of choice. Please share your memories of Donald and offer condolences to his family by signing the guestbook below.