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Donald R. Kalkwarf
08/17/1924 — 03/22/2014
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Portland, OR
Donald R. Kalkwarf
Donald R. Kalkwarf was born on August 17, 1924 in Portland, Oregon as the son of Harro Onnen Kalkwarf and Irene Joslin Kalkwarf. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, and was a combat infantryman in the 44th Division, serving in the European Theater of Operations. After his discharge, he attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry. He then attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and graduated in 1951 with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Physical Chemistry.
He married Carol Rider in 1949, and they had four children: Kristi Dutcher of Seattle, WA, Tim Kalkwarf of Longview, WA, Heidi Kalkwarf of Cincinnati, OH, and Tina Kain of Bellevue, WA. After Carol's death in 1994, Donald married Carol's sister Elizabeth Betsy Rider in 1996, who survives him, along with his four children and two grandchildren.
Donald joined the General Electric Company's Hanford operation at Richland, Washington in 1951and later transferred to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory operated by Battelle Memorial Institute. He retired from full-time employment in 1990.
Professionally, he was a member of the American Chemical Society, Sigma Xi: the Research Society and the Royal Chemical Society London. He was a member of Central United Protestant Church, the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, Common Cause, and the Disabled American Veterans.
Besides his family, Donald enjoyed photography, playing the accordion, hiking, and ascending many of the snow-capped peaks in the Pacific Northwest.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 1:00pm at Central United Protestant Church in Richland.
In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, P.O. Box 11615, Eugene, OR 97440.
We have greatly enjoyed our friendship with Don, Carol and Betsy. It began with our interest in German genealogy and gardening. For several years Don, Carol and Ann enjoyed an evening German class with Johanna Whiteman as our teacher. A bush that Carol gave Ann is blooming in our yard even as I write this memorial. Don, Carol and Betsy are all warm, friendly people, filled with curiosity and neighborliness. Our prayers and thoughts are with Betsy and the entire Kalkwarf family.
We were neighbors of the Kalkwarf’s on Birch Avenue for some 15 years and then got together periodically, including once in Germany. We enjoyed Don for his intelligence, wit and kindness – he was a good man.
So many memories of all you Kalkwarfs have been on my mind since hearing of your loss. He was a dear man, who greatly impacted this Willard family’s lives. Christmas time usually brought to us a treasured homemade ornament, or a family picture. So many camping trips in Oregon, California and Montana. St. Ignatius has the best ice cream according to Don, after spending the afternoon at the Bison Range. My Don and I went to Hawaii with them in 1992. So many good memories for all of us. Betsy, Tim, Trina, Heidi and Kristi you have been blessed to have had him this long. Shalom.
We have greatly enjoyed our friendship with Don, Carol and Betsy. It began with our interest in German genealogy and gardening. For several years Don, Carol and Ann enjoyed an evening German class with Johanna Whiteman as our teacher. A bush that Carol gave Ann is blooming in our yard even as I write this memorial. Don, Carol and Betsy are all warm, friendly people, filled with curiosity and neighborliness. Our prayers and thoughts are with Betsy and the entire Kalkwarf family.
We were neighbors of the Kalkwarf’s on Birch Avenue for some 15 years and then got together periodically, including once in Germany. We enjoyed Don for his intelligence, wit and kindness – he was a good man.
So many memories of all you Kalkwarfs have been on my mind since hearing of your loss. He was a dear man, who greatly impacted this Willard family’s lives. Christmas time usually brought to us a treasured homemade ornament, or a family picture. So many camping trips in Oregon, California and Montana. St. Ignatius has the best ice cream according to Don, after spending the afternoon at the Bison Range. My Don and I went to Hawaii with them in 1992. So many good memories for all of us. Betsy, Tim, Trina, Heidi and Kristi you have been blessed to have had him this long. Shalom.
We are sorry to miss the service for Don on Thursday. Don and I worked in the same laboratory building for G.E. and Battelle. He was a wonderful chemist, friend, and co-worker. We shared similar philosophies, and friends too…especially the Keders. We often had parties at the Keders where we listened to music, and talked of other things besides work.
We are sorry that he has gone, but we are grateful for the good luck to have known him.
I am so very sorry to miss Don Kalkwarf’s memorial. I want to send my heartfelt condolences to Kristi, Tim, Heidi, Trina , Betsy and their families. I will forever have fond memories of our family getting together with your family when we were growing up in Richland. Not only the board games we played, but the fun , skits, humor and hospitality that was abundant in the Kalkwarf’s home. I also have fond memories of our families traveling together to the Oregon Coast, California and Montana. Peace be with you all. My prayers are with you at this moment in time.
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Donald R. Kalkwarf