David Curtis Donath

. On July 10, 2013, David Curtis Donath, 83, of Cochise, AZ passed away after a long illness. He was born December 12, 1929 in the Hollywood Hospital in California to Curtis A. Donath & Dorothea H. Smith Donath. He was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Donath Green. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Jane Hansen Donath, 4 children- Karen Howe(Mike), Karel Kidder (Doug), Kurt Donath (Penny) & Kraig Donath ( Jeri), 7 grandchildren Wendy McPhail, David Howe, Korey Howe, Kris Donath, Kellie Jensen, Kimberly Beamish & Kurtis (Andy) Donath & 12 great grandchildren. He also leaves a step-sister, Katie Dabney & 2 step brothers, Mike Pierce & Patrick Pierce. His family moved to Rainbow Valley, California when David was 3 & then moved into Fallbrook, California where David graduated from High School & also met Jane in their senior year. He was active in sports, was a member of the volunteer Fire Dept. worked a the Mission Theatre, owned by his parents. After graduation he joined the Marine Corps Reserve at nearby Camp Pendleton but was discharged in June 1950 to marry Jane. He was studying to become a Ham Radio operator and also worked as a carpenter for his dad who was a Bldg. Contractor. He eventually got his Electrical contractors license and started his own company. One of his employees took him flying one day and he loved it and got his pilots license in 1959. He started with a little cloth covered Piper Tri-Pacer & had a plane for 40 years, the last being a beautiful 6 seat, red white & blue Cessna 310. He loved flying. In December of 1951 we were blessed with twin girls & you've never seen a prouder father. IN 1956 a baby boy joined our family & in 1958 another baby boy made our family complete. David was in the 2030 club ( a young mans service club) and was President and District Governor- a busy time! Working with a Ham Radio buddy, they developed a Single Sideband Radio and Raytheon liked it and said they would put it in production in South San Francisco if David would come along with it. So, off we went to the big city to live in 1963. He traveled a lot, was promoted to Sales Manager of the Depth Sounder Dept. He heard that a new position was coming up as Sales Manger in the Mining Equipment Dept. so he put in for it and got it. He learned fast and was always tops in what he did- He was one of the first Americans invited to go to China when it was still off limits to travelers. His Rep in Mesa, AZ invited him to come and go into partnership with him so off we went but after a few months he chose to start his own Company representing mining equipment companies. The David C. Donath Co. became very will known and respected in Arizona, New Mexico & Mexico. He covered lots of territory in his plane. After about 10 years he sold the company to his 2 partners. We bought a Condo at Condominios Jacquelynn in Kino Bay, Mexico on the Sea of Cortez about 5 years before & loved it down there so we decided to build our retirement home there. His carpentry & electrical knowledge had always been with him so he, an amazing Mexican foreman & 2 Mexican workers built a beautiful home that we enjoyed for 20 very happy years. Our families came as often as possible, they were busy, marrying & having families of their own. We bought a 26' diesel skipjack boat "The Mighty Beast" and with good friends in their boats we took trips across to the Baja & cruise down to LaPaz & Cabo San Lucas fishing off the islands and having wonderful times. David was President of our Sportsmen Club "Club Deportivo" and worked hard to keep it a place to get together, have fun & also help the little fishing community with their schools, police dept., ect. The club has a Rescue One service that is known up & down the Sea of Cortez for any boats or anyone in trouble & several times he was out in his plane looking for a boat that was lost or ran up on the rocks. He had good helpers and loved every minute of it. We bought the Casa Vieja Ranch, Cochise, named for the proud old wooden house in front, in 1993 so we could spend our summers here. Mexico gets very humid. We were closer to our growing family and could see them more often. David added on a Cochise room, bedroom, laundry and 2 car garage. Friends came from Oklahoma to spend winters here & watch over the place, when they could no longer come we hired a family to live in a large park model we had bought. That worked well until they decided to move further North and soon after we sold the ranch to the Greek Orthodox Church. We were able to buy the ranch back when David's health began to fail and Kurt and Penny moved into the main house to help take care of him. David had sold his plane a few years earlier. Back in Kino some friends wanted to buy our boat & our house so we sold them. During those years we went to the Philippine Islands to visit Kurt when he was stationed there. the to Australia, New Zealand & Tahiti. In 1998 we flew to England for a nephews wedding, then over to France and the beaches of Normandy. In 2000 we flew to South Africa, toured Kreuder Park with good friends, went on an amazing Safari for a week & spent a week in Capetown. Wonderful people, great food, beautiful-David wanted to move there. He loved it. David was an incredible force. He loved a good argument but let you have your say. He was a source of strength for all his family members. His absence is profound and we will miss him, always. A Celebration of his life will 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 27, 2013 at the Donath Ranch. You may make a contributions in his name to either the Charles Wm. Leighton Jr. Hospice, P.O. Box 115, Willcox ,AZ 85644 or the Casa de Angeles, 524 W. Kaibab Way, Cochise, AZ 85606.

David Curtis Donath

December 12, 1929 - July 10, 2013