Name: Donald Carlysle Kienke
Date of Birth: April 9, 1927
Date of Death: November 10, 1993
Parents: Asa S. Kienke and Mary Margret Horne
Siblings: Byron, Lucille, Albert
Married: Estella DeLone Williams July 29, 1947
Married: Sandy Peeples April 26, 1974
Married: Marilyn
Children: Alan Randy, Karen, Larry Kim, Jamie Noel
I have been struggling with this post because Papa Don is probably the grandfather I know the very least. He lived in California for most of my life, making a few visits out to see us. He did spend the last 2 months of his life living with us, which did help make up for some of what we lost. However, he was extremely ill at this point. You see he had melanoma skin cancer that spread through out his body taking him from us at the age of 66.
There are some things I do remember and somethings that I have been told. He and his brother Albert used to build and fly model airplanes, which he was written up in the newspaper about. I know that he was one heck of a business man. He owned a car lot, Don Kienke Used Car Lot, that was successful. He started a car insurance company "The Safe Drivers Club," once in a while you will still see a sticker on an old car from those days. He was the owner of a radio station here in Utah, KWIC. He also owned and started TV preview. He owned Arabian horses in California, I do remember visiting some of the horses as a very little girl, and we feed them carrots. He also worked in the mortgage business, selling mobile homes.
Some of my memories include that things had to be just right. When those things were just right he would say "Perfect" and make a hand gesture with it. In fact, on his head stone it says "Perfect." I remember he was a very healthy eater, and showed us how to mix avocado with salsa. It was so delicious. I remember he showed us how to cut an onion so that you don't cry, however, I don't remember how he did it. His favorite flower was a rose, and when he was living with us, my parents would cut fresh roses out of the garden and place them in his room in a vase so he could enjoy them. I was in 7th grade when he was living with us. After school, I would go in and sit and talk with him for 30-60 minutes, before getting to my homework and dinner. I am so glad that I did.
When he was living with us, the Halloween season was upon us. As a family we used to really go all out and decorate the front yard, that afternoon he watched from the bedroom. My dad came in and stated "Damn Don, we had been working all afternoon and that scarecrow doesn't look anywhere near as bad as you." My grandfather replied "Sign me up for the afternoon shift." He did have a sense of humor. My dad and he would go back and forth all the time during those last 2 months.
Some things about his life worth noting: His father Asa, was a wood worker, that was amazing. In fact, he is mentioned in Gordon B. Hinckley's autobiography. There is no proof at this point, however, the time capsule that is made of wood that the church owns, is thought by my family to have been created by Asa. Asa and Mary Margret had Byron, then lost baby after baby. She would carry them full term and they would die just before birth or just after. Finally, they adopted Lucille. Years later, they had Albert and Papa Don. My mom believes that they were victims of the Rh Factor, however we do not know that for sure. Jamie, is Sandy's daughter, who my grandfather adopted. Sandy later changed her name to Raine.
Date of Birth: April 9, 1927
Date of Death: November 10, 1993
Parents: Asa S. Kienke and Mary Margret Horne
Siblings: Byron, Lucille, Albert
Married: Estella DeLone Williams July 29, 1947
Married: Sandy Peeples April 26, 1974
Married: Marilyn
Children: Alan Randy, Karen, Larry Kim, Jamie Noel
I have been struggling with this post because Papa Don is probably the grandfather I know the very least. He lived in California for most of my life, making a few visits out to see us. He did spend the last 2 months of his life living with us, which did help make up for some of what we lost. However, he was extremely ill at this point. You see he had melanoma skin cancer that spread through out his body taking him from us at the age of 66.
There are some things I do remember and somethings that I have been told. He and his brother Albert used to build and fly model airplanes, which he was written up in the newspaper about. I know that he was one heck of a business man. He owned a car lot, Don Kienke Used Car Lot, that was successful. He started a car insurance company "The Safe Drivers Club," once in a while you will still see a sticker on an old car from those days. He was the owner of a radio station here in Utah, KWIC. He also owned and started TV preview. He owned Arabian horses in California, I do remember visiting some of the horses as a very little girl, and we feed them carrots. He also worked in the mortgage business, selling mobile homes.
Some of my memories include that things had to be just right. When those things were just right he would say "Perfect" and make a hand gesture with it. In fact, on his head stone it says "Perfect." I remember he was a very healthy eater, and showed us how to mix avocado with salsa. It was so delicious. I remember he showed us how to cut an onion so that you don't cry, however, I don't remember how he did it. His favorite flower was a rose, and when he was living with us, my parents would cut fresh roses out of the garden and place them in his room in a vase so he could enjoy them. I was in 7th grade when he was living with us. After school, I would go in and sit and talk with him for 30-60 minutes, before getting to my homework and dinner. I am so glad that I did.
When he was living with us, the Halloween season was upon us. As a family we used to really go all out and decorate the front yard, that afternoon he watched from the bedroom. My dad came in and stated "Damn Don, we had been working all afternoon and that scarecrow doesn't look anywhere near as bad as you." My grandfather replied "Sign me up for the afternoon shift." He did have a sense of humor. My dad and he would go back and forth all the time during those last 2 months.
Some things about his life worth noting: His father Asa, was a wood worker, that was amazing. In fact, he is mentioned in Gordon B. Hinckley's autobiography. There is no proof at this point, however, the time capsule that is made of wood that the church owns, is thought by my family to have been created by Asa. Asa and Mary Margret had Byron, then lost baby after baby. She would carry them full term and they would die just before birth or just after. Finally, they adopted Lucille. Years later, they had Albert and Papa Don. My mom believes that they were victims of the Rh Factor, however we do not know that for sure. Jamie, is Sandy's daughter, who my grandfather adopted. Sandy later changed her name to Raine.
You can click here http://familyandstamps.blogspot.com/2010/09/where-i-grew-up.html, to read my memories of his passing. I do know that, now that I am older, I wish I had more memories and that I had soaked up the time I had with him. Here's to Don Kienke and the great man that he was.
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