Donald Eugene Jorden

Donald was born on July 5, 1932 in Pleasanton, NE. to Tilmer Jordan and Lola Crawford. He grew up in Missouri with his parents and three sisters. He was drafted into the army in 1954 and served for 2 years. He was deployed to Okinawa. The trip took a couple of weeks to get there by boat and he was sick the whole time. His assignment was to drive personnel to and from the beach.

When Donald was discharged, his life changed, his parents got divorced and they sold the family farm. He traveled with his mother and sisters to California, where he worked at a nursery. The family traveled from California to Washington, working the fields along the way. He came to the Yakima Valley and worked picking fruit; he lived in the cabins at Ahtanum Park.

Donald met his wife, Carolyn Walker through her sister. They were married on March 7th 1966 at Cabool, MO. The couple moved to Parker, WA to the house he had purchased from his uncle.

Donald and Carolyn had four children; the first daughter born in 1969 was stillborn. They had three more children, Marilyn, Dawn and Jerry.

They lived in Parker. He worked in the orchards picking fruit, thinning and pruning for Douglas Orchards. He retired when he was 70. Donald enjoyed spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He loved working on older mustang cars and his 55 Chevy.

He was preceded in death by his mother Lola and father Tilmer. His sisters and brother’s-in-law; Pauline (Marl) Scott, Ethel (Texas) Austin and Hazel Marie (Jim) berry His wife of 53 years, Carolyn, a daughter and grandsons, Jordan Rothamel and son-in-law Tony DeAnda.

Donald is survived by his daughters; Dawn Lemon and Marilyn Rothamel. His son Jerry Jordan, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

We are going to miss you dad, but you were ready to go home. See you again someday.

A graveside service for Donald will be held Tuesday, October 8, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Tahoma Cemetery, 1802 Tahoma Ave, Yakima, WA 98902.