Final Salute

Donald M. ‘Don’ Sharpe
July 10, 1926 – March 28, 2021
Don Sharpe passed peacefully Sunday, March 28, 2021 just shy of his 95th birthday. Don was the second son of Olin and Jean Sharpe. Olin was an executive with one of the most respected organizations in the USA, The Boy Scouts of America. Don was born in Stockton, Calif., July 10,1926. His older brother Dayton was born four years earlier. True to family tradition Don achieved his Eagle Scout award Oct. 28, 1943 at the age of 17. After graduating from White Plains N.Y. High School, Don joined the U.S. Navy, July 22, 1944 and became a Seabee. The Seabees are the floating construction company of the USN and Don was soon driving both a tender and a grader to build bases, hospitals, runways and other projects. He served in the Philippines for nine months and then a year in China on the Singtao Coast. Don completed his Naval service to the USA June 4, 1946.
True to his Boy Scout roots, Don and his brother Dayton backpacked most summers before and after Don’s service in Asia. The first trip after Asia, Don and Dayton backpacked in Montana and met their parents at a resort.
After his discharge from the USN, Don enrolled at Oregon State University to study forest engineering. However, his sophomore year he moved downstate to the University of Oregon to major in Business and joined the Sigma Alpha Epilson fraternity. Don was a lifelong Duck and SAE. He organized the SAE alumni for many years.
After graduation from University of Oregon in 1950, Don was recruited by Zellerbach and began his career as a salesman. Zellerbach soon merged and became Crown Zellerbach and CZ would remain Don’s career employer. One of his first assignments for CZ took him to The Dalles, Ore., a mutual friend, Dell Snyder, gave Don Earlene Smith’s phone number. Don was smooth on the phone and got a date! He drove 90 minutes from The Dalles to Portland to meet Earlene at the Berg Chalet off Vista Ave. for their first date. He closed the deal several months later when he married Earlene. Don and Earlene settled in The Dalles and had Steven. Don’s attention to detail and sales acumen soon found CZ needing Don in several positions around the USA. The family relocated to Chicago, then onward to Minneapolis, then Los Angeles where they stayed long enough to have two homes. The first was near the coast and the second LA home was near an orange orchard. Don covered South California for CZ for many years.
Don and Earlene retired to Portland. During their waking hours however, they were often found at Oswego Lake Country Club. They both loved golf and the fellowship at OLCC. Terwilliger Plaza was their final home.
Preceded in death by his wife, Earlene (2019); and their son, Steven Sharpe (1981).
A service will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, April 8, 2021, at River View Cemetery.
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Published in The Oregonian from Apr. 1 to Apr. 4, 2021.