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Don Edwin Sullivan ’50

Upon graduating from Oregon City High School, Don moved to Salinas, California, to attend college and play basketball. One of the courses he took was aviation, and when World War II began, Don served in the Army Air Forces. He developed vertigo and a badly infected knee and washed out of pilot training. He served as a B-17 electrical specialist, stationed in England and Libya.

After the war, Don attended Reed, and while in Portland he met and married Medora Matteson. In 1950, their only child, Mark, came into the world. For most of his career, Don worked in Washington State’s adult correction division. He was a parole officer and a regional administrator, and was chosen by Governor Dan Evans to sit on the parole board.

Don especially enjoyed being with nature. He was a backpacker, canoer, prospector, rock hound, hunter, horseman, dog trainer, boater, golfer, adventurer, and lifetime fisherman. Being of Irish heritage, he was a wonderful storyteller who favored social get-togethers. After retiring, he and Medora wintered in Yuma with a troupe of like-minded souls. Don is survived by his son Mark.

Appeared in Reed magazine: June 2018

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