Donald Louis Donjon

Don Donjon, 89 of Ovid, CO passed away peacefully overnight on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, with family by his side. Cremation has taken place, and a private family celebration will be held at a later date.

Donald Louis Donjon was born on November 8, 1936, at Imperial Community Hospital to Louis and Lenna Donjon He was the third of five children in addition to an aunt, Betty, who was raised alongside them. Don spent his early years adventuring on and around his family homestead outside of Champion, Nebraska. He attended a one room schoolhouse through eighth grade.

His parents later relocated to a farm closer to Imperial, where Don attended Chase County High School. Don learned to farm from his father and worked with his uncle in the early 50’s, doing fieldwork, feeding cows, and putting up hay. Don made a lifelong career out of farming.

While traveling by bus to Denver for work, Don met the love of his life, Marilyn Arlene Woodhams. They married on December 9, 1956, in Ovid, Colorado, and began their married life together in Nebraska. After moving to Lamar, they were blessed with four children: Sharon Kay, Kathy Jo, Steven Lawrence, and Jeffery Allen. In 1982, they moved to Marilyn’s family farm in Ovid, Colorado, where they spent their next 43 years. Don worked hard providing for his family, farming in both Colorado and Nebraska.

Don did his best to stay out of trouble by keeping busy with his innovative spirit and clever inventions. While living in Lamar, he raised livestock on one of his lots in town, while also owning his own mechanic and welding shops. Don was always building and fixing something. His children grew up knowing that if something was broken, he could fix it. He even created a solution for pumping septic tanks because he thought the other companies were charging too much. He built his own heavy-duty trailer to haul his tractor between the states, and also designed, built, and sold clay pigeon throwers.

Don and Marilyn loved adventures, whether near or far from home. They took their children on an annual vacation to Estes Park, Colorado and stopped in Denver on the way back for back-to-school shopping. They even lived in Estes Park for one winter with Sharon and Kathy, while Don worked as a mechanic. While living in Estes, they loved going to Lazy B Ranch to see the band play and hear them play one of their favorite songs, Tumbling Tumbleweeds. One year, to change things up, Don went all out and rented a camper for the back of their pickup and hauled the family to Salt Lake City, where they floated in the Great Salt Lake.

They traveled across states as their grandchildren were born to meet every child as they came to this earth, venturing as far as California. They enjoyed visiting their family on the Front Range of Colorado and taking their grandchildren on trips to Nebraska and to local county fairs. They also loved welcoming friends to visit them at their farmhouse. A highlight for Don in his later years was traveling a portion of Route 66 and visiting the Marsh Arch Bridge and Baxter Springs.

Don was a free spirit; and everything was fun when Donnie was around. He loved to play little pranks and keep everyone on their toes around him. One corn harvest, he and a friend snuck around and greased up all the door handles of friends’ pickups, so their hands slipped right off when they were trying to leave for the night. He once cooked a rag into a family member’s hamburger, only to be found once it was bitten into. He led his grandchildren to believe that eating grapes and headcheese would cause hair to grow on their chest. Did you know, according to Don, there are only seven green semi-trucks in the world?

Don was a man of great skill. He started wood crafting in their basement and enjoyed the craft so much that he had to build a wood shop when he outgrew the house. The dust was also starting to drive Marilyn crazy. He made countless special wooden toys, personalized name puzzles, and banks that brought joy to many in the community. One of his favorite things to make were his miniature banks, made with old post office box doors.

Don was also a devoted animal lover. He loved his many dogs and accidentally started a collection of cats when he started setting out food for some strays. At one point, he had a flock of several ducks that he affectionately referred to as “Ducky,” and he named all his favorite chickens. One recent winter, he even had Marilyn setting food out for a lone stray cat that was living in one of their barns - until it wandered up to their porch and they realized they were feeding a skunk.

In his later years, Don enjoyed continuing his woodworking, gardening, restoring old vehicles, and hosting his grandchildren during their summer vacations. His restoration of a 1951 Chevy pickup won many awards at car shows. He enjoyed watching old western movies in the evenings and would often disclose that he “wanted to be Clint Eastwood when he grew up.” Family was incredibly important to Don. He loved being surrounded by his loved ones, and hosting holiday gatherings with Marilyn at the family farm.

Don was preceded in death by Marilyn, his wife of 68 years; his parents, Louis and Lenna Donjon; brother, Glen Donjon; sister, Rita Kropp. Don leaves behind his sisters Mary Ellen Smith, Barb Kuehn (DuWayne), and Betty Mueller; daughters Sharon (Rodney) Vernon and Kathy (Garland) Green; sons Steven (Pat) Donjon and Jeff Donjon; and five grandchildren; Jamie (Martin) Ludi, Sierra (Camden) Green, Tevis Green, Daniel Vernon, and Keegan Donjon.

Anyone who chooses to honor his memory with a donation please consider Don’s favorite charity, Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.