Donald Henry Trahan

Peaceful patriarch Donald Henry Trahan died on September 8, 2022, at his home in Johanna Shores in Minnesota at the age of 90. Creating a zone of quiet and contentment wherever he was, Don first and foremost loved his wife of 66 years, Angie. The son of Henry and Claire Trahan, Don was an only child. His father died young of tuberculosis contracted as a medical resident, so his mother, a banker, pinched pennies to support the family through the Great Depression and World War II. Don ran track for Kerrville Tivy High School and hiked in the surrounding Texas Hill Country. Happy to depart the small town, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees studying business at the University of Texas at Austin. There he met Angelica Strassmann and became engaged. Their wedding had to wait until after his Army service - as a finance officer supervising Japanese staff using abaci for calculations. His slides from Japan - hundreds of them - depict two of his passions: his German shepherd Bruno and the geology of Japanese volcanoes. Don's career as a real estate appraiser paid the bills, but he lived for his family, his faith, and his interests. Don and Angie had three children; Melanie, Tom, and Ted; eight grandchildren; and a growing number of great-grandchildren. For decades at Faith Lutheran in Fort Worth, Don manned the door as a greeter or usher and sang to his favorite hymns - not always in tune. He loved the outdoors, usually walking with one of his dogs or watching for unusual rocks and used golf balls. His usual quiet disappeared in the Rocky Mountains, where his gregarious "trail manners" were legendary. He discovered trilobites, explored "chunks," and helped excavate dinosaur bones in Glen Rose. Texas Longhorns football was his overwhelming interest - overwhelming in the sense that if a game became too stressful, he would turn off the radio. In retirement, Don was a tireless volunteer for Meals on Wheels, often delivering meals to clients much younger than himself. The COVID shutdown coincided with Don's worsening condition and his customary quiet distilled into silence. Joyfully, the family gathered for Labor Day and he was able to enjoy their company during his last weekend. Don is survived by his wife Angelica Strassmann Trahan of Arden Hills, Minnesota, children Melanie (Leonard) Ripley of Fort Worth, Texas, Thomas (Diana) Trahan of Coppell, Texas, and Edward (Sharon) Trahan of Shoreview, Minnesota, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, October 21, at Incarnation Lutheran Church, 4880 Hodgson Road, Shoreview, MN, visitation starting at 12:00 pm. Fellowship gathering at Incarnation following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any remembrance be donated to Meals on Wheels.

Tributes

Donald Henry Trahan

November 15, 1931 - September 8, 2022

Tributes

Donald Henry Trahan

November 15, 1931 - September 8, 2022

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