Donald Lamborn Showalter, Jr.

Donald Lamborn Showalter, Jr., loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather died February 10, 2023 in Logan, Utah at the age of 93. He is the oldest of two children, born May 17, 1929 in Hinsdale, Illinois, to Donald Lamborn Showalter Sr. and Sarah Blanche Tyler. He is survived by his sister, Mary Ramona Jackson. He married Marian Ellen Hebel in 1951, with whom he had three children (divorced). He will be greatly missed by his eternal sweetheart of 51 years, Margaret Vallier Dalton, whom he married on January 22, 1972 (later sealed in the Oakland, California Temple). He was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 38—baptized by his 16-year-old son, Don. His posterity incudes Donald Lamborn Showalter III (Peggy), Sarah Christine Bogart (Todd), James Arthur Showalter (Lynn), Karlen Vallier Meadows (Stephen) and Bruce Dalton Showalter (Sumiko), 13 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and great-grandson, Zen Elliott Stephens.

Don spent his childhood in Illinois, Virginia, Iowa, Ohio, New York, and California. He lived his adult life in California (San Francisco Bay area and Monterey area) and Logan, Utah.

He was a veteran of WWII, joining the Army at age 17 (later getting a GED). He was a member of the American Legion and was always a soldier at heart. He was self-employed as a carpenter and later owned a tax business, but considered his career as a firefighter in the Los Altos, California Fire Department to be one of the greatest blessings of his life. He earned a certificate in Fire Science Education and attained the rank of fire captain. He often thought it would be great to be a war hero, but in the end, decided being a firefighter was better, because he was saving lives instead of taking lives.

His favorite pastimes were reading (especially history), gathering emergency supplies and spending time in the outdoors—particularly backpacking and camping with his children. He even served as a Scout Master at age 72. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Washington Everett Mission from 2008-2009 with his wife, Margaret and they later served a second mission in the Logan Bishops’ Storehouse. He loved helping those in need. He was known as "The Worker.”

We will miss his fun personality and delightful, contagious laugh. He loved funny and outrageous stories and pondering the unknown. He was unusually intelligent, hardworking and mechanically gifted—able to build or fix anything. 

His funeral will be held on Monday, February 20 at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Canyon Ward, 325 Lauralin Drive. Viewing and visitation will be from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Interment will be at a later date (when the snow thaws) in the Grace City Cemetery in Grace, Idaho.

Those who would like to attend virtually may use the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81799659224