Donald "Whitey" Lanphere

Don was born on March 28, 1933 at what was referred to as the "old ranch" in Nelson Siding/Cle Elum area. He was raised on the farm and worked hard along with his parents, 2 sisters and 3 brothers. He frequently spoke about how his mom was the hardest working woman he ever knew. She could build anything (and did).
As a young boy his very light blonde hair earned him the nickname "Whitey". From then on, that's how he was referred to by his family.
He told us how the school bus would pull up at their place in the morning and they'd wait patiently while he finished milking the cow. Once that was done, he could start school for the day. He remembered nights of the neighbors coming over to play guitars and sing or enjoy games of pinochle.
Don moved from eastern WA to Algona, WA around 1949 when his parents bought a gas station/general store there. It was there that he met his future wife, Frances Foster. He graduated from Auburn HS in 1951 and went on to join the air force. His 4 year stint included service at Warren AFB in Wyoming, Eielson AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska and then at Travis AFB near Fairfield, California. He said he wanted to be a pilot but his mom was against it so he gave up that idea. However, his love of airplanes and aeronautics stayed with him throughout his life.
When discharged from the air force, Don and Fran moved with their son Jeff to Auburn. During that time their daughter Theresa was born and when the family moved to Algona, they welcomed two more daughters, Betsy and Vikki.
Don worked at Rohr Industries in Auburn beginning in April 1957 where he started as an assembly line worker in electronics and retired as the purchasing agent for the plant when they closed the doors 35 years later.
Don suffered a severe work injury in January 1962 when a piece of metal left him blind in one eye. You never would have known of this handicap because he didn't complain or allow it to keep him from doing anything he wanted to do.
Don had a very witty sense of humor and you could always see the wheels turning when he was thinking of a quick come back. He and his brothers were a comical group when together. They all shared the same humor and fun-loving nature. He did enjoy quiet time doing crossword puzzles and figuring out riddles. He seemed to have inherited his mom's talent of creating his ideas from whatever was on hand. He made bird houses, picture frames from old fence boards and a beautiful Christmas star.
Don met and married his wife Joan in 1972. They resided with his son Jeff, her son Craig and daughter Brenda in Sumner and Bonney Lake until they moved to Orting in 1991. By then he and Joan were empty nesters. They purchased a very old home in Sumner in 2000 and Don and his son-in-law Jack rebuilt the place from the foundation up. He was nearing 70 years old at that time and could still do all the construction work needed to build a house. It was his and Joan's dream home. He was especially talented at carving. He once carved an entire nativity scene for Joan. The amazing thing is it only took him a couple of weeks to complete. He loved doing for Joan. She was so appreciative and loved him for all he did for her. It was very much a mutual sentiment.
He and Joan enjoyed trips with their trailer, historical things and above all, family. While Joan hosted women's Bible studies, Don diligently did the edging, mowing and miscellaneous handyman jobs at Sumner First Christian Church where they were members for over 20 years. For several years they faithfully volunteered in feeding the homeless through their church ministry.
Don loved the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing. His prized elk was a 5 x 5 taken near Easton. Many deer seasons were spent participating in family hunts near Winthrop. He especially loved hunting with his brothers Jerry & Bob, his son Jeff and his grandson Kurt. Their camp consisted of a huge homemade tent complete with wood stove. Oh, the stories they could tell after those adventures! Many fishing trips included the Yakima river and numerous lakes in eastern Washington. Getting worms for trips was easy using Don's homemade electric prods.
During the past several years Don was quite active and spent time with his kids for some rousing games of bocce ball or corn hole. He had a steady hand and could consistently throw some great shots. If he was your partner in a game, you were almost guaranteed a win. He loved breakfasts or lunches out with his daughters, his nieces Patti and Kim, great-nephew Justin and Vikki's co-worker and good friend Bev. For several years he was a regular in what we referred to as his men's breakfast club. Every Saturday you would find him, Tom, Dave and Ron at one of their favorite restaurants for breakfast and camaraderie. Don said they pretty much solved the world's problems when you asked him about those outings.
Don's heart was broken when his wife Joan passed away in 2021 just 3 days after their 49th wedding anniversary. He was the last living member of his immediate family. He was preceded in death by his parents Burt & Sophia, his sisters and brothers-in-law Virginia (Chuck) Campbell, Dorothy (Al) Davis and his brothers and sisters-in-law Clyde (Lorraine), Jerry (Joan) and Bob (Donna).
Don is survived by his children Jeff, Theresa (Gary) Noel, Betsy (Jack) O'Connor, Vikki (Jean Pierre) Charpentier, and his step-children Craig (Melinda) Harris and Brenda (Rick) Ruud. Also surviving him are 11 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
We will miss Don's smile, his humor and his sharp wit. What fun to hear the stories about the crazy goings-on in his life! We grieve the tremendous loss of him in our lives, but rejoice that on Sept 9, 2025 he was healed of all earthly pain as he went home to be with Jesus and to once again see his beloved Joan and his family and friends who also knew Christ as their Savior.