Donald (Storm) Louis Risk

BIEDERMANN, CONOVER, ELLIS, HAMMOND, KLOTZBACH, KOHLMEYER, RISK

Posted By: Cindy Marshall (email)
Date: 12/2/2021 at 20:35:55

Donald (Storm) Louis Risk, 93, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2021, in Arizona. He was born October 20, 1927, in Independence, Iowa, the son of Don A. and Lydia (Biedermann) Risk.

He graduated in June of 1945 from Independence High School. Shortly thereafter, Storm left for World War II service in the U.S. Navy. He was honorably discharged in August 1946, and immediately enrolled at the University of Iowa, graduating summa cum laude in 1950. He was married in 1949 to Katharine (Klotzbach) Risk at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Independence. They later divorced.

Storm was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Independence for more than 25 years, serving two terms as ruling elder, and then more than 50 years as a member of Valley Presbyterian Church, Paradise Valley, Arizona, where he served three terms as ruling elder, clerk of the session, and as a member of the Arizona Presbyterian Local Missions Committee.

He purchased Buchanan County Title in 1952 and the Buchanan Abstract Company in 1957. Buchanan County Abstract is still providing service after 60 years and continues to be family-owned.

In 1963 Storm moved his family to Phoenix, Arizona, to Scottsdale in 1964, and to Prescott in 1967. He was a branch manager in Prescott and Scottsdale for Arizona's largest independent insurance agency, later owning small agencies in Phoenix and Prescott. He earned the professional designations of CPCU (Chartered Professional Casualty Underwriter), CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), AIM (Associate in Management), ARM (Associate in Risk Management), and was certified for completing studies in Scientific Methods for Risk Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Always interested in community affairs, Storm served as president of the Independence Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Independence Lions Club, and served two terms on the Independence School Board.

A member of Post 30 American Legion in Independence since 1945, he remembered fondly his 12 years as a member of the post's basketball team, which included Iowa State American Legion championships in 1948, 1949, and 1950, the last year state and national championships were held.

In Prescott, he served as president of the Prescott YMCA and on the boards of the Prescott Library, Prescott Boys and Girls Club, Prescott Kiwanis, Prescott United Way, and was president–elect of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce when he was transferred back to Scottsdale.

While living in the Phoenix area, Storm was president of the Central Arizona Chapter CPCU (one of the U.S.'s 10 largest chapters). He was on the board of the Phoenix Kiwanis Club, the Arizona Independent Insurance Agents Association, chairman of the Insurance Division of the Phoenix United Way, and several years on the Phoenix Mayors Traffic Accident Reduction Committee.

After retiring and moving to Virginia, Storm served for 13 years as a volunteer and for 12 years as executive director of Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck, Warsaw, Virginia.

After his second retirement, he moved back to Arizona, where he was a reader of the Urantia Book and a founder/member of the Grand Canyon Urantia Book Society. He also loved researching and working in genealogy, reading westerns, listening to music, and watching sports.

Besides his parents, Storm was preceded in death by his son John Risk, granddaughter Mary Beth Risk, and great-grandson Trevor Hammond. He is survived by his son, William (Vicky), Tempe, Arizona; daughter, Janet (Mark) Kohlmeyer, Guttenberg, Iowa; and daughter-in-law, Diana Risk, Virginia Beach, Virginia; brother, Malcolm (Ella) Risk, Sun Lakes, Arizona; grandchildren Heather (Risë) of Camp Verde, Arizona, Alexander (Lindsay) Risk, Ankeny, Iowa, Louis (Katya) Risk, Prague, Czech Republic, Joseph Risk, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Kaitlyn (Wes) Ellis, Fort Worth, Texas, Michelle (Zach) Conover, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Carson Kohlmeyer, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Bethany Kohlmeyer, Oelwein, Iowa; great grandchildren Gabriella, Grace, and Raquel Risk, Ankeny, Iowa, Leon Risk, Prague, Czech Republic, and Taylor (Ashley) Hammond; great-great-grandchildren Brayden and Peyton Hammond, Camp Verde, Arizona; his ex-wife Katharine Risk, Independence, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Continuing with his giving nature, he requested his body to be donated to Science Care in Tucson, Arizona. His cremains will be buried at later date in Oakwood Cemetery, Independence, Iowa, next to his great-grandparents Alexander and Nancy Risk, grandparents George and Blanche Risk, and parents Don and Lydia Risk.

Storm was an amazing individual, always giving and caring of others, and was a student of this world until the last day. One of his favorite quotes was by Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Every person is like a large bus in which all their ancestors ride." We are grateful to be a part of his bus.
Published by Independence Bulletin-Journal on Mar. 11, 2021.