D.L. Booker

Connell, Wash.
Steven's Funeral Chapel
D.L. Booker, 80, of Connell, died Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.
D.L. was born in Jackson County, Oklahoma, on January 13, 1924 to William R. and Lillian Rosa (Richardson) Booker.
He was raised and educated in Jackson County.
D.L. left school in 1943 and joined the Army where he served in General Patton's Third Army, 7th Battalion, 8th Armored Division. He was in one of 46 divisions that became entwined in the Battle of the Bulge. D.L. received a Purple Heart, and a Bronze Star for his part in that battle.
He was discharged in 1946.
He returned to Oklahoma where he drove a milk run until 1950 when he rented some land and grew cotton.
That year he met Ina Colleen Churchwell, they were married on January 4, 1951, in Mangum, Oklahoma.
In 1956, D.L. drew a farm unit near Warden. They moved onto the land the next year and then in 1958 they moved to Mesa.
During this time, D.L. attended Auctioneer school in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He returned to Mesa and over time worked in the auction business and farmed corn, hay, potatoes and raised livestock. D.L. enjoyed selling livestock and was known all over the Northwest.
In the early 1970s, D.L. retired as a livestock auctioneer to pursue another passion, buying cattle. He bought cattle by orders from all over the Northwest.
In 1980, Booker Auction was formed with his sons. D.L. enjoyed just being at the auction, drinking coffee, sharing his knowledge, renewing friendships and talking to anyone who would listen. D.L. was entered into the Auctioneers Hall of Fame in 2002.
In later years, D.L.'s favorite time was spent with his grandchildren.
D.L. had also wanted to be a pilot, so as a young man he earned his pilot's license and over the next years owned two planes.
He will be remembered fondly by many for making his daily rounds of fellowship through Othello.
He will also be remembered as a tough sometimes-gruff man of great integrity, his word and a handshake were the best contract that he could make.
His generosity was legendary, picking up hitchhikers, feeding them and putting them on a bus home, or writing a check to someone down on their luck, he felt everyone needed a break.
D.L. was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by; his wife Colleen of Connell; 4 sons and daughters-in-law, Merle and Judy Booker of Connell, Quinton and Angie Booker of Othello, Burl and Kara Booker of Connell and Butch and Jennifer Booker of Colfax; 6 brothers, Lavon of California, Don R. of Texas, Marlan and Earl of Oklahoma, Kenneth of Missouri and Jimmy of Nevada; a sister, Norma Blanton of Arkansas and 12 grandchildren.
A time for final visitation will be held at Stevens Funeral Chapel in Othello beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Monday March 22, 2004, and continuing until 8:00 p.m. that evening.
A celebration of D.L.'s life will be held at the Othello Church of the Nazarene, Tuesday, March 23, 2004, at 11:00 a.m. with burial to follow at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens. Memorials are suggested to the Columbia Basin Jr. Livestock Assoc. in Connell, WA.