Don Benjamin Nothdurft

Don Benjamin Nothdurft was born on November 19, 1930 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the second of three children born to Ella Werner and Benjamin Franklin Nothdurft. As a young boy, he was close with his sisters, Frances and Marian, and his cousins, Robert Charles, Luana, Ruth Ann Bingenheimer, and Harold Werner.

Don attended the Lutheran School through 8th grade and graduated from Central High School in 1947. One day in 1947, he accompanied his friend Bob Roth, who was interested in enlisting, to the local Navy Recruitment office. Don enlisted in the Navy that day, he was only 17 years old. In 1950, while stationed as an Air Traffic Controller at the Alameda Naval Air Base, Don attended a dance at the USO where he met Elvira Martinez. Despite some differences, Don and Vera fell in love. A year later on September 29, 1951, they married.

After his discharge from the Navy in August of 1952, Don attended Contra Costa Junior College and went on to graduate from California Polytechnic Institute at San Luis Obispo in 1958 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He began working for the State of California, Division of Highways (CalTrans) in San Luis Obispo directly upon graduation.

In March 1960, Don and Vera, their four children, and Vera’s parents moved to San Diego. The neighborhood was new and there were many neighborhood get togethers where he met life-long friends, the Wheelers, Dibsies, Giacalones, Bursts, Cravens, Tablers and later on the Stewarts and Welishes. Don lived in this home for the next 62 years until his passing. Don participated in Little League and Scouting. He was an active member of Saint Catherine Laboure Church, the Knights of Columbus, and E Clampus Vitus, a historical society that enjoyed Clampouts and doing good for the “widders and the orphans”. In 1993, Don retired from CalTrans. He and Vera traveled to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Panama Canal.

Don was a life-long member of the Greatest Generation: those who worked hard, planned, saved, and did without, relying on God and themselves – people who did their very best as they saw it for family. Don was married to his wife Elvira for 72 years and they had eight children together. Don died in his home on April 25, 2023 at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife, Elvira, six of his eight children, Paula Eberle, Mary Kober (David), Don Nothdurft Jr., Girard Nothdurft (Diana), Anna - deceased, Rebecca Decker (Harold), Charles Nothdurft - deceased (Hilda), John Nothdurft (Sunisa), his 18 grandchildren, and his seven great grandchildren. Don “You’re still here” in our memories and especially in our hearts!