Wilson Family Genealogy
Death Announcements and Obituaries for Donald Ashley Primrose
Donald Ashley Primrose died on 14 Jun 2000 in USA, IA, Pottawattomie, Council Bluffs.
This Obituary is from his funeral card.
Donald Ashley Primrose, one of ten children of John Johnston and Eliza Jane (Patterson) Primrose, was born on April 6, 1913 on a farm near Primrose, NE. He was baptized in the Presbyterian Church at Primrose on December 5, 1915. Don graduated from Primrose High School in 1931. After farming for a few years, Don began a long career working for the Rocky Mountain Boys Camp that was noted for their long pack trips and mountain climbs. Don worked at Estes Park during the summers and spent the winters with his sister Mae and her husband Orville Babbitt of Malvern, IA. In March of 1942, Don was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in the 1934 Air Force Engineers in Bellows Field in Hawaii. In 1945, following the service, Don returned to Malvern where he constructed his home and continued at the building trade. Don continued to work at the boys camp in the summer from 1947 to 1951. In 1951, the camp location and buildings were sold to the National Park Service. Don and James Garrison purchased Mountainside Lodge and moved the boys camp to that location operating the camp and guest lodge for 4 years. In 1956, Mountainside was sold and Donald leased and operated another lodge, the Circle Eight Ranch. In 1957, Don returned to Malvern permanently and worked as a builder.
Don and Virginia Dell Chamberlain were married at her parents' country home near Malvern on June 8, 1958. The marriage was blessed with their [child]. Don was a member of the Harry Hammon Post 520 of the Malvern American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7064 of Tabor, IA. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Primrose, NE. Don had a special interest in horses, woodworking and crafts, gardening, story telling and folklore. He also enjoyed working as a Malvern Boy Scout Leader. Don and Virginia had been married 43 years.
Don died on June 14, 2000 at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA. He had attained the age of 87 years, 2 months, and 8 days. Don was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Myrtle Channer and Alta Primrose, brothers Bill Primrose, George Primrose, John Primrose, and Frank Primrose. He is survived by his wife Virginia; [child]; sister Mae Babbitt all of Malvern; brothers Arthur Primrose of Cedar Rapids, NE and Dale Primrose of Newman Grove, NE; nieces and nephews.