Donald Glen ELKIN

ELKIN, SNYDER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/24/2017 at 23:27:38

January 17, 1920 ----- April 22, 2017

Don Elkin passed away at Southfield Wellness Center at age 97 on April 22, 2017. Don was born in Williams, Iowa in 1920, grew up on a farm north of Webster City and graduated from Eagle Grove High School. In 1941 he married Elaine Snyder and they moved to Davenport, Iowa where Don was a machinist at the Rock Island Arsenal. One of the tools he ran was a duplicating machine which required him to coordinate both hands to guide the tool's bit side-to-side and front-to-back. When he joined the Army Air Force in 1943 the arsenal skills helped him become an excellent B-17 bombardier. Don and Elaine and newly born son, Randy, traveled the southwest US during Don's training. On July 4, 1945, Don graduated at the head of his class being the first one called out of 177 cadets to receive his silver Bombardier Wings and Second Lieutenant insignia. The war ended while he was being trained to bomb Japan from a B-29. After Don's discharge, the family returned to Eagle Grove, Iowa. Don wrote a chronicle of his wartime and life experiences and it has been widely circulated to family and friends.

In 1948 the family moved to Webster City and Don built the family home almost entirely by himself. Dan was born April, 1949 and the family lived that year in the basement of the home project. Don worked as a sieve cutter and slat stringer (combine parts) at Hart Carter Manufacturing where he lost the tip of his middle finger operating a punch press. An avid bowler, Don lamented the need to drill an extra hole in his bowling ball to continue his sport. Don bowled until he was in his nineties and at age 90 won a United States Bronze Medal at the VA Olympics in Des Moines.

While working at Hart Carter, Don also worked as a carpenter, electrician and as an installer for Burr Floor Service. When Hart Carter folded, Don worked full time for Burr and upon Claude's retirement in 1969, Don bought the business and it became Elkin Floor Service which continued until Don retired in 1983. Daughter Kay was born in 1959. She had numerous health problems from birth and Don and Elaine cared for Kay in the family home until her death shortly after Elaine's passing in 2013.

Don loved to hunt and fish. The loss of the tip of his finger proved a bit problematic, especially on family trips to Lake of the Woods, when he would cast hook, line, sinker, rod and reel out of the boat. He hunted deer with his shotgun and black powder rifle and shot a trophy buck at over 137 yards with open sights. Gardening was his primary summer occupation. He grew multitudes of flowers at home. On his brother's farm Don had a huge garden from which he inundated the neighbors with fresh vegetables, especially green beans and tomatoes. Don grew tomatoes until the end. Southfield and Congregate Meals folks received pussy willows, Wolf River apples and lots of tomatoes on a regular basis depending on the season.

Don valued family and friends and loved family reunions. He had a total knee replacement at age 92 so that he could continue to care for Elaine and Kay at home. Shortly after they died in 1993, Don suffered a massive heart attack and after two weeks in a medically induced coma, was taken off life support to "sink or swim." A day later he was discharged to Southfield on his 94th birthday. Don loved the residents and staff at Southfield. He sang "Happy Birthday" on each person's birthday, sang with visiting musicians, and was notorious for dancing with all the ladies, both mobile and wheel chair bound, at the slightest opportunity. He had a fine sense of humor and poked fun, and occasionally his prized diamond willow walking stick, at visitors and residents. He participated in all the activities and was known to squirrel away his winnings at bingo to give to his sons when they visited.

Don is survived by sons Dan Elkin of Webster City and Randy Elkin of Forest Lake, MN. Visitation will be from 5 thru 7 on Thursday, April 27. Funeral services will be Friday, April 28 at 11:00 AM. Both will be at Foster Funeral Home. Cards of remembrance may be sent to 1886 280th Street.

http://www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com/obituary/182750/Donald-Elkin/