Don Whitaker

Don Whitaker
POCATELLO - Don Whitaker, 85, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family Sunday, July 13, 2008. 
Don was born April 12, 1923, in Elba, Idaho, to Don Jennings and Florence Elizabeth (Ottley) Whitaker. Don graduated from Raft River High School. He joined the Navy in May 1942. He was a combat air crewman in the Navy Air Corps in World War II.
Don went through boot camp in San Diego, Calif. Then he was sent to the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colo., for radio school. Then he went to aviation radio school at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Memphis, Tenn. From there, he went to Hollywood, Fla., for gunnery training.
He was then transferred to Jacksonville, Fla., for flight training. After flight training, he was sent to Whidby Island, Wash., and join Bombing Squadron 61 for a bombing mission out of Attu in the Aleutian Islands. Four planes and their crews were lost on mission (two to bad weather). The squadron came back to the states in the summer of 1945.
Don married the late Faye Preston of Declo, Idaho, (divorced) in Seattle, in August 1945. They had three daughters, Janene Zweigart of Denver, Colo., Jerene (Mike) Montgomery of Little Rock, Ark., and Kari Dawn (Scott) Gault of Atlanta, Ga.
After getting out of the Navy with an honorable discharge, Don ran a Mobile service station in Rupert for three years before coming to Pocatello, where he ran a Texaco station for 32 years, then worked for ISU for nine years.
He married Norene Cameron of Blackfoot (divorced) and they had two children, Tammy (Kent) Orton of Meridian, Idaho, and Doug Whitaker of Pocatello.
Don was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was also a member of the Elks Club for 45 years and was a member of the VFW. Don was a lover of race horses and enjoyed watching them race.
Don is survived by his children, Douglas Whitaker, Tammy (Kent) Orton, Janene Zweigart, Jerene (Mike) Montgomery, and Kari Dawn (Scott) Gault; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Oleta McBride, Salt Lake City, Utah; and two beloved pets, Taz and Kitty. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Wayne and Reed, and a sister, Melva.
A graveside service will be held at Restlawn Memorial Gardens Thursday, July 17, 2008, at 11 a.m. Military rites will be by the Pocatello Veterans Honor Guard.
Arrangements are under the care of Colonial Funeral Home, 2005 S. Fourth Ave., Pocatello.