Don was born in Deary, in November of 1925. He passed away on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Lewiston. Don served his country proudly in the U.S. Army from 1944-46. He was in the Battle of the Bulge in France. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and good conduct medals. He was honorably discharged. After returning from the service, he attended the University of Idaho and worked for Potlatch Forests, Inc. as a scaler, log jammer and surveyor.
Don was the last member of the Lawrence family who were longtime merchants in Deary. In 1956, Don and his wife Carley purchased the Deary Mercantile and ran it for 42 years.
Don operated a butcher shop and plumbing business from the Mercantile. Every year they made a special Scandinavian potato sausage for the holiday season. He was a great handyman and could fix almost anything. He helped run the first sewer lines and television cables in town and made signs for the Zion Lutheran Church and the Pinecrest Cemetery.
He loved the outdoors and especially archery hunting. He designed and manufactured elk bugles. Woodworking was his favorite hobby; he built bird houses. His other passion was golfing and he had two holes in one to his credit.
For many years he and Carley were snowbirds, traveling to Yuma, Ariz.
Don was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, Masonic Blue Lodge, Calam Temple Shrine and Scottish Rites.
Don is survived by his wife, Carley, in Lewiston; daughters Barbara Lawrence of Spokane; Geri (Mike) Myhre of Spokane; and son Mark (Becky) Lawrence of Lewiston; four grandchildren: Mandy and Levi Lawrence, Will Thompson and Carley Myhre; his sister, LaVerna Armintrout of Vancouer, Wash.; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Nell Lawrence; brother Gerard (Jerry) Lawrence; brother-in-law Harvey Armintrout and niece Frances Armintrout.
At his request, there will be no service. A private family memorial will be held at a later date.
