Richard Bruce Donker

1950 - 2021

Richard Bruce Donker
September 29, 1950 - March 15, 2021
Modesto, California - Surrounded by his wife and two daughters, our dear Rick passed away on March 15, 2021, following a brief hospitalization.
Rick was born in Modesto, California to Luverne and Ruth Donker on September 29, 1950. He attended elementary and high school at Ripon Christian. After graduation he went on to Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1972. He then completed a Paramedic Certification in 1974 and received a Master of Arts in Education Administration in 1978 from California State College Stanislaus. In 1980, Rick went on to earn a Doctor of Education in Education Administration with a concentration in Medical Education from the University of the Pacific.
Rick met and married his wife Susan while both were working at Memorial Hospitals Association. Rick and Susan had two beautiful daughters, Elizabeth Anne and Danica Ruth and enjoyed almost 35 years of marriage before Rick passed away at the age of 70. Rick was an amazing father to his girls, and introduced them to his love of music, flying, sailing, travel adventures and a passion for life-long learning.
Rick's professional accomplishments were many and varied, most centered around a career in health care. He started his career with the Modesto-Ceres Ambulance Company, designed and taught courses in Emergency Medical Technology at Modesto Junior College and directed the use of federal and state grant funds to develop EMT training programs for use throughout California. In 1977, Rick began a 15-year employment at Memorial Hospitals Association. One of the ways in which he significantly transformed healthcare in the Central Valley was through the development and successful implementation of the Medi-Flight helicopter air ambulance. It was the first such program in Northern California and the ninth in the United States. Rick also went on to successful executive positions with Memorial, Global Business Network, Phyamerica, Valley Emergency Physicians and Freemanwhite Healthcare Consulting. He provided independent consulting services to a variety of Medical Centers, Emergency Helicopter Programs and Health Plans across the United States. Rick was everyone's "go to guy" for major program implementations because of his logical mind, attention to detail and tremendous skills in organization and project design.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents Luverne and Ruth Donker and brother Daniel Ross Donker. He is survived by his wife Susan Content Donker and daughters Elizabeth and Danica. Rick is also survived by his sister Carole Collins and her husband Karrick; sister Pat Redfern and her husband David; brother-in-law Michael Content and wife Linda; sister-in-law Sharon Content and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
Due to Covid, a Celebration-Of-Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Flying Samaritans, P.O. Box 576384, Modesto, Ca 95357 or Community Hospice, 4366 Spyres Way, Modesto, Ca. 95356.
In closing, Rick made his transition to death peacefully; and he shared these final thoughts with his wife, "The end of the day is a nice time; the end of life should be no different. To all of you a fond farewell and may you all have happy, satisfying and productive lives, no matter how long or short the life may be."