Donald Vernon Evanenko

Donald Vernon Evanenko 82, of Post Falls, ID passed on May 1, 2016, at Hospice House of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, after a brief illness. Don was born on March 14, 1934 on the family farm in the Butte, ND,where he farmed with his dad and later with his sons. Don left the farm taking a courier position with FedEx in December of 1984, which turned into an additional career lasting nearly 28 years. He retired from FedEx in November of 2013, not wanting to work another Christmas rush. During his 27 years and 10 ½ months with FedEx, Don missed only 1 workday; an accomplishment he was very proud of. Although Don left farming in the mid-80’s, career or location could not take the farm out of the boy. Just last week he commented how it was time to get the garden planted. He was also building a chicken coup for the 6 chickens he had recently purchased. Don met his bride to be, Geraldeen Grondahl, at Union College while picking up his younger sister at the conclusion of the school year. They married later that summer on August 31, 1958, in Jamestown, ND. They started their life together on the family farm, south of Butte, ND, and resided there until the fall of 1984. Since the farm, they’ve lived in Minot, Alexander and Williston, ND; Billings and Miles City, MT; and Post Falls, ID – each location related to an area where Don delivered packages. Don was a member of the Spokane Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church. Don’s personality, his sense of humor as well as his farming background endeared him to co-workers and customers alike. Just this past December, 3 years since his retirement, a former customer called to advise Don of a package needing to be picked up, on Don’s personal cell phone! During his time with FedEx, Don continued to be involved in someway with agriculture – befriending an area horseman who owned Percheron horses, and used these horses to win a draft horse log-skidding competition; renting farmland with his son in Bozeman; or retrieving beet pulp for feeding livestock in Billings. Springtime always brought new animals to their home regardless of location, bum-lambs, colts to be broke, goats, bunnies, etc. Don was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Jeff Hage and granddaughter Chanda Hage. Don is survived by his wife Geri; children Curtis (Cheryl) Evanenko Walla Walla, WA, Brent (Kim) Evanenko Sheboygan, WI, Suzette Hage Bismarck, ND, Tanya St George Post Falls, ID, Kyleen (Cody) Thomason Walla Walla, WA; his sisters Elaine (Ben) Brown Moses Lake, WA, and Esther (Ken) Allred Walla Walla, WA; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. A celebration of life is planned for Saturday July 9, 2016,~2:00 pm at the Bell Tower Funeral Home, Post Falls, ID. A service will be held in North Dakota, the summer of 2017. Memorials can be made to Hospice House, 2290 West Prairie Ave, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 83815.