Donald "Don" Thomas Shankle

September 15, 1927 – January 10, 2016.

Donald “Don” Thomas Shankle, 88, of Salem, Oregon, passed away peacefully on Jan. 10, 2016, surrounded by his family. He was born in Chinook, Montana on Sept. 15, 1927 to parents Mamie and Thomas Shankle and grew up in this same small town with his sister Esther.

Don graduated from Chinook High School in Montana. He was a Corporal in the U.S. army Air Force where he became a weather forecaster. Following his time in the military, he worked for the U.S. Weather Service in Havre, Montana, Glasgow, Montana, and finally Salem, Oregon. He loved fishing, hunting, sailing and winters in the Arizona sun. He also loved to golf and was proud of his three holes in one. He has been a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Sons of Norway, NARFE, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Don married Dorothy Wilson on September 10, 1949; she passed away in 2002. Then on June 6, 2004, Don married Joy Burke.

He is survived by his wife Joy (Burke) Shankle, son Gregg Shankle (Ronelle) of Salem, OR, daughter Carla Gunter (Lee) of Anthem, AZ, three grandchildren Brian, Breck and Brenner and two great grandchildren, Lochlan and Norah. Don was preceded in death by wife Dorothy Shankle and sister Esther Hermes.

A celebration of life will be at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 1pm on Saturday January 16th.

Burial will be a private ceremony at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Willamette Valley Hospice or the American Heart Association.

Assisting the family is Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.

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