Donald Duane Wisdom

1928 - 2022

Donald Duane Wisdom
September 19, 1928 - March 13, 2022
Boise, Idaho - Donald Duane Wisdom was born to Walter T. Wisdom and Lillian P. Wisdom (Groves) on September 19, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois. Don came home to be greeted by his twin brothers Richard and Robert who were born in 1927. His sister, Rosemary Ann, was born in 1941.
Walter and Lillian both graduated from the University of Idaho in 1925. Walter took a job with the American Bridge Co. in Chicago and Lillian taught school in Kooskia, Idaho for a year until Walter returned for her in 1926. The family returned to Idaho during the depression as work was scarce in Chicago.
Don attended Lowell Elementary School, Boise Jr. High School (now North Jr. High school) and Boise High School. He attended McAllister Oklahoma High School in 1945 where his father was project engineer for the construction of a war time ammunition depot. He returned to Boise during his senior year to graduate from Boise High School in 1946. On graduation from high school Don joined the U.S. Navy. Due to the ending of WW2, the need for naval personnel was negligible so Don was placed in the U.S. Naval Reserve. While working in Oregon in 1950, Don tested and was commissioned as an Ensign. Don served 12 years in the Naval Reserve rising to the rank of Lt. senior grade, retiring in 1958.
Don attended Boise Junior College from 1946 to 1948 when he transferred to the University of Colorado to graduate in 1950 with a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. On graduation from the University of Colorado Don married his college sweetheart Donna Rae Maxwell from Caldwell, Idaho. They had 4 children, Daniel, Michael, David and Molly. Donna Rae passed away unexpectedly in 1986 of a pulmonary embolism.
Don worked as a materials engineer for Morrison Knudsen Co. at Lowell, Oregon helping to construct the Lookout Point Dam on the Willamette River. Returning to Boise in 1951 where he worked for Thermal Engineering Co. In 1955 he cofounded RECO, Inc. a refrigeration contracting business. At this time Don sat for examination as a professional engineer and was subsequently licensed as a professional engineer. In 1956 he sold his interest in RECO and opened a consulting engineering office, Engineering Inc., where he practiced until his retirement in 1991. The firm specialized in the design of heating and ventilating, plumbing systems and fire protection systems and later air conditioning systems for commercial and institutional buildings.
The engineering business continued to flourish with Don having been licensed to practice in Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada and Alaska. Working in all of these areas meant extensive travel. It is difficult to travel thru cities in the northwest that Don did not have a project in at one time or another. The firm was responsible for the mechanical design on such projects as the Morrison Center, Boise Convention Center, Wells Fargo Bank, Capitol High School, Bandon Oregon High School, Elko County Jail, many projects at Cactus Pete's casino and the MK Headquarters building to name a few.
Don's three sons all graduated from the University of Idaho, and during this time Don was fortunate enough to have a number of projects in Moscow including the Kibbie Dome, the College of Education, the College of Law and the College of Forestry and Wildlife Management. Engineering Inc. did on average 100 projects per year. This calculates to a total of somewhere over 3500 projects that Don was responsible for during his career.
Don pioneered the use of closed loop heat pump systems in the area and first used high pressure air systems in high rise buildings. Don assisted the Tuttle and Bailey Co. in developing a high pressure return air balancing station that was marketed nationwide
Don was an early member of the Boise Bench Lions Club serving as president and later district cabinet secretary. Don was a charter member of the Boise Southwest Rotary Club where he served on the board of directors. Don served on many state and local boards and committees including the Idaho State Plumbing Board and Boise City Gas Examiners Board, where together with Forrest Goodrich and Ivan Mayne he developed the first examination for Gas Fitters in Boise and administered this exam for 19 years. He served on the Boise City Plumbing Materials Board and the Boise City Building Code Committee.
Don was also a member of Boise Elks Lodge No. 310, Idaho Masonic Lodge No.60, Knights Templar, Royal Arch Masons and El Korah Shrine. He was a member of the Tin Lizzie Shrine club, performing in many parades through Idaho. Don was a member of the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers, the Consulting Engineers Council, the Construction Specifications Institute, and the American Society of Heating Ventilating Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers.
In 1988 Don married Donna Brown. Donna had two children Alan and Kimberly each with families. This resulted in a combined family of 6 children and 12 grand children. Don retired in 1991 and Donna in 1996. They then began a period of extensive travel to such places as England, the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Australia, Argentina, Chile, China, the Mediterranean, Africa and the Caribbean area to name a few.
Don began his love affair with Mexico when he went to Acapulco, Mexico with the Navy in the late 50s. In 1991 while in Mexico, Don and Donna bought property on the Baja Peninsula north of Cabo San Lucas in a small village called Los Barrilles. In 1995 they built a casa on the beach on the Sea of Cortez. For 12 years they divided their time between Boise and Mexico.
Don loved to fish and spent many hours on Lake Cascade, Shepp Ranch on the Salmon River and taking the boat to the coast and fishing for salmon in Tillamook Bay, Squim Washington, Puget Sound and Vancouver Island. After building the casa in Mexico Don's interest turned to big game salt water fishing, where in the course of twelve years Don and Donna together landed many marlin, sailfish, dorado and tuna. In 2007 the casa in Mexico was sold and Don and Donna returned to Boise.
Don enjoyed all card games. He was an accomplished cribbage player playing with the Boise Peggers for over twenty-five years. He received many awards including twelfth place in a national tournament of over a 1000 players held in Reno, Nevada. He and Donna played bridge with the local Bridge Cooperative of Boise. He never turned down a trip to the green felt jungle as he referred to Jackpot, Nevada. Don also did woodworking, crafting furniture for the home and making special items for the grandkids.
Don is survived by his wife, Donna, his children, Dan (Robbie), Mike, David (Lori), Molly (Flip Himmelreich) and stepchildren, Alan Brown (Kari) and Kim (Eric Hansen) twelve grandchild and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lillian, his three siblings Dick, Bob and Rosemary (Jim), his wife Donna Rae and his daughter-in-law Karen.
Don's family would like to thank St Luke's Hospice and C.A.R.E. Inc. for their kind and compassionate support given to Don and Donna over the last six months.
Don's service will be held at Alden Waggoner Funeral Chapel located at 5400 Fairview Avenue at 11 a.m. Monday, March 21, 2022. Internment will follow at Morris Hill cemetery.