Obituary: Black, Donald Lee
Age 79
Donald Lee “Buzz” Black, 79, a resident of Oakesdale, passed away Sunday morning, June 24, 2012 at the Spokane Veterans Home.
Funeral Services with military honors will be held Friday, June 29th at 10:30 am in the First Baptist Church in Oakesdale.
Vault interment will follow at the Oakesdale Cemetery.
Mr. Black will lie in state for friends and family to call at the Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax on Thursday from 9 to 5.
Donald was born February 18, 1933 in Spokane, Washington to George and Esther (Eurich) Black.
They moved to Oakesdale when he was a freshman in high school and he graduated from Oakesdale in 1951.
Two weeks later on June 13, 1951 Buzz enlisted in the United States Navy.
While home in Oakesdale on leave in 1953, Buzz met Carrie Miller.
They married August 5, 1954 in Lewiston, Idaho.
During their first year of marriage, Buzz had to get housing lined up for them and Carrie moved to Colfax where she worked as a telephone operator.
Their first home was in Paris, France where he worked with the “Sea-Bees” doing construction and building.
After a few years they moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Buzz did recruiting work.
Carrie kept busy as a homemaker and mother.
Four years later would find them in the Philippines for the next three years and then over to Kalispell, Montana for more recruiting work and another three years.
During the Vietnam War Buzz was gone from home and his family moved back to Oakesdale to wait for his return.
He came back to Oakesdale in 1969 and the family was off once again this time to California.
Duty at Port Hueneme, a brief stint in Spain and time at Point Mugu in California would round out his successful and rewarding Navy career.
Donald was honorably discharged after more than 23 years of service on July 15, 1974.
The family moved back to Oakesdale and Donald worked various jobs for the McGregor Company, the Oakesdale Grain Growers and for Auvil-Werner at Belmont.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing and especially liked to spend quality time at their cabin at Twin Lakes, Washington.
He loved sports of all kinds and it didn’t matter if he were watching them on TV or in person.
He liked to follow the Mariners and Seahawks.
He also kept current by watching CNN a lot.
He was a member of the Fleet Reserve, the VFW in Spokane, DAV, and a member of the Masonic Lodge in Coeur d’Alene.
Buzz is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Carrie, at their Oakesdale home; daughter Susi Black of El Cajon, CA and a son Jeff Black and his wife Val of Spokane Valley; 3 grandchildren Maggie Gallagher, Patrick Gallagher and Whitney Black; 2 step-grandchildren Nicole Black and Levi VanDyke and his wife Amy; 2 great-grandchildren Tate and Trenton Carlon; his sister, Louise and husband Lon Ellis of Oakesdale; a brother Rick and his wife Jana Robinson of Albany, CA and by a brother-in-law, Paul Ousley of Woodburn, OR.
Buzz was preceded in death by a three year old son Donny; a brother Ron Robinson; his parents; his step-father Richard Robinson and by a nephew Ronny Robinson.
The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Oakesdale EMTs and the Rosalia Ambulance Fund.
The family would especially like to thank the Spokane Veterans Home for the wonderful care they provided and the Madison Inn of Spokane for their hospitality.
An on-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
BRUNING FUNERAL HOME OF COLFAX is caring for the family.