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Obituary

Born August 10, 1924, to August Franklin Westfahl and Florence G. (Milfeldt) Westfahl, Donald Leroy Westfahl Sr. passed away of natural causes at Hoffman Hospice House December 4, 2016.
A memorial mass will be held at St. Francis Catholic Church, Thursday, December 15, 2016, at 9:00 am. All family, friends, and acquaintances are welcomed.
The farmlands of Oklahoma were Donald's first home. Born in the 1920s into a second generation German farming family, the importance of playing an active role in working the soil and tending to the chores was the focus of the Westfahl family. He learned an astonishing work ethic that would serve him well throughout his lifetime and astonish those who tried to keep pace.
Rising in the early morning darkness to complete his chores, joining the family for an early morning breakfast, on to school then back to his farm chores, Donald lived a simple, disciplined life in small, rural Oklahoma farm towns. He attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Okeene, Oklahoma and graduated from its senior class in 1941. He continued farming for a short while then enrolled in a vocational school in Oklahoma City where he learned to remanufacture aircraft parts.
Answering the call to serve his nation during World War II, Donald joined the United States, Army Air Corps. He received basic training at Minter Field, Shafter, California. There he met, courted and later married Letha Eileen Becker. Together Donald and Lee traveled the nation during the advanced training stages of Donald's Army Air Corps career. Once fully trained and with Donald Leroy Westfahl Jr. already on the way, Lee waved goodbye to Donald as he left to fulfill his assignment to the China Burma India War Theater flying Weather Reconnaissance in B-25D aircraft. Donald returned safely from war to resume family life here in the United States.
Moving his family to California, Donald began his career in petroleum refining maintenance. Here in Bakersfield, he worked for Douglas Oil Company, Conoco, Kern Oil Refining then on to Los Angeles and Lundy-Thaggard refining. He returned to Bakersfield and retired as a maintenance superintendent from Sun Oil Company.
Donald began a second career at Lumberjack Hardware, Bakersfield California. After years of providing excellent customer service, he retired when Lumberjack closed its doors.
It was Don's profound pleasure and honor to serve the Minter Field Air Museum where he became a board member and worked for years as their docent. His service to the United States Army Air Corps is memorialized at the Air Museum. Donald was also active in a number of societies here in Bakersfield including SIRS and CBI.
Donald L Westfahl Senior is preceded in death by his wife of fifty-five years Lee Eileen (Becker) Westfahl, his younger brother John Westfahl and his first son Donald Leroy Westfahl Jr. He is survived by his brother Robert Westfahl and wife Margaret Westfahl and nephew Nick Westfahl and wife Linda and family, niece Gail (Westfahl) Hill and husband Bob and family and niece JoAnn (Westfahl) Troegle and husband Lance Troegle and family, his son Michael Westfahl and wife Melinda S (McKean) Westfahl and granddaughters Sandra Michelle Westfahl, Danessa Denise (Westfahl) Thorbrogger and husband Elliot Thorbrogger and great-granddaughter Madelynn Denise Monroe and Karrah Lee Westfahl and great-grandsons Samuel Campbell, Elijah Campbell and Lucas Campbell, and his daughter Patricia Lee Westfahl-Read and grandson William Read.
To Brookdale Riverwalk and Hoffman Hospice House, our sincerest gratitude. It is not the room nor the facility that made my father smile but the unfailing loving kindness and care provided by your hardworking staff members that brought him comfort, joy, and memories for "Mr. Donald the Paperboy" that will last into his eternity. Thank you.
In lieu of flowers and gifts Donald L Westfahl Sr. requests that you donate, in his name, to the Minter Field Air Museum, 401 Vultee Ave. or P.O. Box 445 Shafter, California, 93263.

Published in Bakersfield Californian on Dec. 13, 2016