Dillon Coburn

Dillon (Don) B. Coburn of Longbranch was born March 5, 1922 and passed peacefully into heaven on June 16, 2007, following a brief battle with lung cancer. He grew up in Minnesota and graduated from high school in 1940. After trade school, Don moved to Oregon and was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1943. He married Coline Gillis on April 5, 1944. Don proudly served in WWII in the 351st Bomb Group, based in England, and flew 35 missions over Europe as a B-17 top turret gunner and flight engineer, earning the distinguished flying cross. After discharge in 1945, Don worked at Boeing and later Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle. The family moved from Maltby, WA to Longbranch in 1967 after Don began working at PSNS in Bremerton as a shipfitter. Upon retirement in 1982, he was able to travel with his wife and see most of the United States, as well as spending many winters in Arizona. Don was preceded in death by all 5 of his siblings, and lost his loving wife of 62 years last July. Don is survived by his son Dean (Linda) of Longbranch, WA, daughters Kathy (Wes) Marson of Marysville, WA, Barb Coburn of Chelan, WA, Peggy (Mark) Ingraham of Purdy, WA, Terry Ingraham of Tennessee, and Pam (Budd) Murray of Longbranch, WA, 15 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends. Celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Longbranch Community Church.