Donald "Don" D. Bontrager
August 3, 1943 — October 13, 2019
Donald (Don) D. Bontrager, 76, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away in the comfort of his home on Sunday, October 13, 2019, after battling a rare form of leukemia. A visitation will be held from 4:00 -7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, October 18, 2019, at the funeral home. Following the service, a celebration of Don’s life will be held at The Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood, Cedar Rapids. Interment will follow in the family plot at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City.
Born on August 3, 1943, in Iowa City, he was the son of Cecil and Mary (Yoder) Bontrager. Don graduated from City High School in Iowa City and joined the U.S. Navy where he served from 1963-1967 as an SFM2 (Petty Officer 2nd Class), and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He married Lillian and later divorced. Don married Ruth Zach on August 22, 1981, at Palisades Kepler State Park in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
Don was a sheet metal specialist and inspector for Cherry-Burrell Co. for 34 years and retired in 1999. He was a member of the VFW Post #788, American Legion, and Freedom Foundation. He was grateful to join an Eastern Iowa Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in May of this year, as well as receive a Quilt of Valor. Don enjoyed fishing, song writing, bowling, camping, hunting, coaching t-ball, serving as scout leader, and raising hunting dogs and horses in his younger years. He loved spending time with family and friends, and his time spent at the Freedom Foundation.
Don will be forever remembered by his wife of 38 years; daughters, Keri (Anthony) VanSant, Kala Bontrager, Kim Bontrager; sons, Todd (Kim) Bontrager and Tyler Bontrager; grandchildren, Jadasen, Ariana, Kiyah, Archer, Abel, Nick, Tony, Chad, Zach, Dalton, Bohemia, Lonesa, Dominique, and Demetrius; 11 great-grandchildren; mother-in-law, Jean Zach; in-laws, Jim (Charlotte) Zach, Larry (Linda) Zach, Sue (Doug) Snitker, John (Jennifer) Zach, and Bill (Diana) Zach; and many nephews, nieces and dear friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Michael; infant granddaughter, Symone; and father-in-law, Adolph Zach.
Memorial donations in memory of Don can be made to Freedom Foundation of Cedar Rapids, Eastern Iowa Honor Flight, VFW Post #788, or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Born on August 3, 1943, in Iowa City, he was the son of Cecil and Mary (Yoder) Bontrager. Don graduated from City High School in Iowa City and joined the U.S. Navy where he served from 1963-1967 as an SFM2 (Petty Officer 2nd Class), and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He married Lillian and later divorced. Don married Ruth Zach on August 22, 1981, at Palisades Kepler State Park in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
Don was a sheet metal specialist and inspector for Cherry-Burrell Co. for 34 years and retired in 1999. He was a member of the VFW Post #788, American Legion, and Freedom Foundation. He was grateful to join an Eastern Iowa Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in May of this year, as well as receive a Quilt of Valor. Don enjoyed fishing, song writing, bowling, camping, hunting, coaching t-ball, serving as scout leader, and raising hunting dogs and horses in his younger years. He loved spending time with family and friends, and his time spent at the Freedom Foundation.
Don will be forever remembered by his wife of 38 years; daughters, Keri (Anthony) VanSant, Kala Bontrager, Kim Bontrager; sons, Todd (Kim) Bontrager and Tyler Bontrager; grandchildren, Jadasen, Ariana, Kiyah, Archer, Abel, Nick, Tony, Chad, Zach, Dalton, Bohemia, Lonesa, Dominique, and Demetrius; 11 great-grandchildren; mother-in-law, Jean Zach; in-laws, Jim (Charlotte) Zach, Larry (Linda) Zach, Sue (Doug) Snitker, John (Jennifer) Zach, and Bill (Diana) Zach; and many nephews, nieces and dear friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Michael; infant granddaughter, Symone; and father-in-law, Adolph Zach.
Memorial donations in memory of Don can be made to Freedom Foundation of Cedar Rapids, Eastern Iowa Honor Flight, VFW Post #788, or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
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