Passed away in Spokane, Washington. He was born "just across the Lewiston Bridge," to Clara Gotts and Roy E. Floch. He grew up and went to school in Anatone, Washington, graduating from high school in 1940. In the fall he moved to Spokane to attend Kinman Business College. When the war started, he joined the Navy in 1942 and met his first wife, Naomi Ditmar, when assigned to a Navy school in Boston, Massachusetts. They married on September 5, 1945. After the war his whole working career was spent as a Washington State Park Ranger at Fields Spring State Park near Anatone where he and Naomi raised six children: Ann, William, Richard, Dawn, Patricia, and Judith. Naomi died on March 21, 1975. On October 20, 1984 he married Dege Galles. From then on life was camping around the Northwest, fishing and always looking for the perfect huckleberry patch. They traveled almost continually around the U.S., Canada and Mexico, always looking for rocks full of crystals and wildflowers. Their many winters in Arizona were spent hiking, climbing mountains, rocks and more flowers. He joined local archaeologists there and helped examine and record ancient native sites. All who ever met him loved his stories whether fact or fiction. Don, you will always be missed. He was preceded in death by his sister, Aldine Weissenfels. A rosary will be offered on Friday, September 1, 2006 at 7 PM in St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 503 N. Walnut Rd., Spokane Valley, WA. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated there on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 11 AM with all invited to the luncheon following the service. Burial in Lewiston, Idaho will be at a later date to be announced. Any contributions should be sent to the charity of the giver's choice. THANK YOU to all the generous, wonderful caregivers these many years, especially the staff on the third floor medical,Valley Hospital and Medical Center. You were his angels.

Quoted from: The Spokesman Review, Spokane, Washington, published 30 August 2006 online at www.spokesmanreview.com