January 26, 1924 - July 4, 2012
Services for Donald Lee Risner were held at Willamette National Cemetery, in Portland, Oregon, on July 10, 2012, at 10 a.m. Donald, the middle child of Boyd and Reda Risner, was born in Inglewood, California, on January 26, 1924.
He served in the U.S. Army during WWII after being drafted on the day after his 18th birthday, during his 12th grade year, at Inglewood High School. He was part of the Normandy Invasion landing on Omaha Beach, on the third day of the invasion. Upon returning from the war, he worked in the concrete industry in California until the death of his wife, Toby, in 1968. He then moved to Oregon, to join his brother, Bill, in Salem, and soon after met Sheila Swanson, who he married in 1970. He became the step-father to her four children, Dennis, Keith, Karen and Tim.
In 1974, he became a building inspector after attending Chemeketa Community College. He then went to work for the city of Gresham. The couple relocated to Sandy, where they lived until retirement in 1986. Their next move was to Crooked River Ranch, in Central Oregon, where he worked as a building inspector in Bend, Redmond and Jefferson County, until December of 2000. They then moved to Redmond, where he spent more time enjoying being the avid fisherman that he was. He fished with his buddies, The Old Goat's Club, up until a few weeks ago. Even after being diagnosed with melanoma in 2010, Don was still active with his hobbies which included woodworking, yard work and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Sheila; a niece, Donna Moxon of Aurora, Colorado; step-sons, Dennis Swanson and Nancy, Dr. Keith Swanson and Lindy of Salem, Oregon; Tim Swanson of Portland, Oregon; step-daughter, Karen Iwamoto and Ed of Sitka, Alaska; grandchildren Sean and Amy Swanson of Salem; Carrie and Minh Iwamoto of Alaska.
The family suggests donations be made to the Redmond-Sisters Hospice program. Please sign our guestbook at www.redmondmemorial.com.