Donald Kolste

Donald Wayne Kolste passed away February 12, 2011. He was born to Mable Rowland and Henry Kolste September 14, 1921 in Graham County, on a corn and wheat farm near Bogue, Kansas. He attended Fairview school through 8th grade and was a 1940 graduate from Palco Consolidated High School. Writing his life story he recalled the 1929 stock market crash, his father's reluctance to change his mode of farming from team horses to tractor, a 1927 Model-T their first car, the dust bowl from the 1930's drought and WWII. He said during the drought the dust was so thick it blocked out the sun making the day as dark as night. In June of 1937 they moved to Albany, Oregon where the children attended school in the fall. They needed money so on the way to Oregon he and his mother picked cherries at Emmett, Idaho. The fall of 1938 he returned to Palco, Kansas and graduated from Palco High School in the spring of 1940. After graduation he worked at Camp Custer, South Dakota Black Hills in the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC's for unemployed men). This federal program paid $30.00 a month. Typical of his dutiful nature, he kept $5.00 and sent the rest of the money back to his family. After nine months he was offered a job by his uncle Kenneth Rowland so he moved back to Albany, Oregon. While there he took a trip with his cousin and other "kids". He stated, "I didn't know it then, but that was the first time I saw my future wife, Marjorie." He continued to work at the Sash and Door until he went into the Army Air Corps in December of 1941. Marjorie and Donald went together until it was interrupted by World War II. He wrote "During the summer of 1941 it became apparent that the U.S. would most likely be involved in the war. I had always been fascinated with airplanes and flying. So I went to the Army Recruiting office in Salem, Oregon and applied for an appointment to the Army Air Corps flight training program." He received a letter of acceptance but before he got a date and place to report, Pearl Harbor was attacked. From Albany, Oregon he was sent to Sheppard Field, Texas near Wichita Falls, TX. It was there he received the great disappointment he could not become a pilot because he was color blind. He volunteered to be an air to air gunner on bomber airplanes. The primary job was as a flight engineer and also man a 50 caliber machine gun position on the top turret of B-17s and B24s. The fall of 1942 he was sent to San Diego, California where the consolidated aircraft company was located. It was then he married Marjorie Perry at the home of his Aunt Edna in San Diego. His next assignment was Nellis Field near Las Vegas, Nevada for air to air gunnery training. He became an air to air gunnery instructor which was not what he wanted to do. He wanted to go into combat but was sent to Buckingham Field near Ft. Meyers, Florida for gunnery instructors training, February, 1943 completing in April 1943. From there he was sent to Kingman Field, Arizona where he served as an instructor. October of 1943 he was sent to March Field near Riverside, California as part of an overseas training unit. 1944 he was sent to Bryan, Texas for advanced training from there he was sent back to March Field and July, 1945 on to Gowen Field near Boise, Idaho until November 1945. After he got out of the Army he and Marjorie moved back to Palco, Kansas and reared their son, Richard and daughter, Dianna. He owned his own restaurant, trucking service and later was employed by City Service Oil Company. 1962 he transferred with City Service to El Dorado, Kansas where his son, Doug was born in 1963. 1967 he moved to Bremerton, Washington for employment at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as a Pipe Fitter until his retirement in 1987. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Betty; wife Marjorie; and daughter Dianna S. Moe. Survivors are sisters: Leon, Eva, Edna, Donna; sons, Richard (Dedra), Douglas (Donna); grandsons, Vance, Brent and Caylan; step-grandsons Larry (Judette) and Dan (Myke); great-grand children; and great-great-grand children. Memorial Service will be held 2:00 pm Sunday, February 20th at the Sunset Lane Memorial Park grave site, Port Orchard, WA. Kenneth Kincaid will officiate.