Don Burnett
Donald L. Burnett, 87, a former Sitka resident, died unexpectedly Oct. 22, 2018, in Longview, Washington.
He was born May 12, 1931, to Worley and Imogene Burnett, in Porterville, California. He was raised in Peshastin, Washington.
In February 1951, Don enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and served in both Japan and Korea on a secret mission.
He married Donna L. Pendleton of Leavenworth, Washington, in June 1951, eloping to East Wenatchee. They had 67 years together.
Don was a mechanic and body shop person until he retired, in 1995.
After leaving the Air Force, he lived in Renton, Washington, and Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, California, before coming to Sitka in 1968. He was a paid firefighter here for seven years, then owned Don’s Body Shop.
He left Sitka in May 1980, returning in 1982 to run Baranof Body Shop until the Alaska Pulp Corp. mill shut down, which caused the body shop to close.
They left Sitka for the last time in 1988, and he worked in Seattle for a few years before retirement. After that he lived in Chewelah, Rochester and Longview, Washington.
Don is survived by his wife, Donna, of Longview; daughters Shannon (Darby) Reid and Colleen Lawyer of Belfair, Washington; grandsons Rick Burnett and his wife Tyree of Kelso, Washington, Rob Burnett of Vancouver, Washington, and Jobe Lawyer of Standwood, Washington; and granddaughters Marcia Wilcox of Tacoma, Washington, and Kayla Reid of Belfair, Washington.
Six great-grandchildren also survive.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Imogene and Worley Burnett, sons Nick Burnett and Patrick Burnett, and grandson Kirby Reid.
Don’s ashes will be spread along the Columbia River at Longview, where he loved to fish.
