Donald Earl Quayle died Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at the Hospice Home in the arms of his family. He was 81.
Don was born on June 23, 1931, in Ishpeming, Michigan. Shortly thereafter the family moved to the Village of Oxford, Michigan where he spent his formative years.
He attended Oxford High School where he was a member of all varsity athletic teams as well as a member of student council, the band, the school newspaper staff, the drama club, and ‘HiY? (an academic honors club.) His family attended the Methodist Church where he was a member of the choir, as well as a soloist, for many years.
After graduation from high school in 1949, Don attended Michigan State University. He was a member of both the varsity football and baseball teams during his four years at MSU, as well as a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and an enrollee in the ROTC Program. (He fulfilled a dream during those years by playing in the Rose Bowl.)
Having earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from MSU, Don served in the US Army as a lieutenant. He underwent Basic Infantry Officers Training at Fort Benning, Georgia as well as Paratrooper Training in the 11th Airborne 503rd Infantry Division at Fort Knox, Kentucky. In Munich Germany, he served in the 11th Airborne Infantry for two years where he was known as ‘Der Q.? He also was an enthusiastic member of military football, basketball, and baseball teams.
Upon being discharged from the army, Don attended the University of Colorado where he earned a Master of Science Degree. During his two years in Boulder, Colorado he met and married Mary Jo Isett.
The Quayles settled in Rapid City, South Dakota for the next seven years where Don taught and coached various athletic teams. During the summers he was a player/manager in the semi-professional Basin League. Don was also an active community leader in Rapid City. Two sons were born in Rapid City, Richard Clayton and Robert Scott.
In the mid-1960s, the Don Quayle Family moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where Don earned a Doctorate of Education Degree and became a member of Phi Beta Kappa. As a graduate assistant he enjoyed many intramural athletic activities.
For the past forty-three years, the Don Quayle Family has resided in Riverton, where Don was an instructor, a basketball coach, an intramural director, and a department chairman at Central Wyoming College. (He was fondly referred to as ‘Doc?.) He was active in community organizations for many years and attended St. James Episcopal Church with his family. He retired from Central Wyoming College as a Professor Emeritus in 1985.
Don’s varied interests included refereeing high school and college basketball and football games; playing City League basketball with his sons as well as noon basketball at the University of WY and at CWC; playing softball in the University of Wyoming League and City League softball his first few years in Riverton; bird hunting as well as big game hunting; stream fishing; farming corn crops on his Missouri Valley farm and growing hay on his Riverview property. He enjoyed square dancing with the Hoedowners; playing bridge; solving crossword puzzles and working 1500-2000 piece jig-saw puzzles; listening to jazz and classical music was another of his favorite pastimes. During their formative years, teaching his sons Dick and Scott to enjoy many of his interests was of utmost importance to him.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo; his son Dick and his wife Jodi; his son Scott; five grandchildren: Alex (Finlayson), Kati, Lauren, Seth, Chris and two great-grandchildren Taylor Finlayson and Trysten Dooley.
He was preceded in death by his parents Freda and Clayton Quayle-his brothers Dick and Bob-his sisters Harriet and Barbara.
Funeral services were held at St. James Episcopal Church in Riverton Wyoming, July 24, 2012. No flowers please. Memorials may be made to Help for Health Hospice Home or Central Wyoming College Scholarship fund.