Donald Lee Enyart

Donald (Donnie) Lee Enyart, beloved widower, father, grandfather and veteran was born January 9, 1932 in Braddyville, Iowa, the youngest child to Lucille (Sipes) Enyart, who along with his stepfather Paul “Bing” Bingham raised him and his four siblings, Darlene, Bob, Mary and Bill (all deceased). He died April 21, 2018 receiving hospice care at the home of his son Don and daughter-in-law Linda, in Milwaukie, Oregon, at age 86. He lived at Town Center Village retirement community after his loving wife Phyllis passed in June 2016.

He is survived by his children: Teri Briley of Woodburn, Debra Malet of Portland, Donald L. Enyart Jr, and stepchildren: Steve Sandstrom and Karen Boyd of Portland; his grandchildren: Rochelle, Janelle, Donovan, Chelsea, Chaz, Robert, Mark, Chris, Jennifer, Johnathan, Jesse, Candice, Evan, Sheri, Stephanie, Lynndi, and Nathanael; and his great grandchildren: Chanelle, Chase, Talan, Johnathan, Silvia, Emily, Johnathan Jr, Chaney and two more on the way this year.

After his family moved from Iowa in 1941, he spent much of his childhood in the Slabtown neighborhood in Northwest Portland, playing ball and selling hotdogs at minor league baseball games at the old Multnomah Stadium on NW Vaughn. He graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in Northeast Portland in 1950, and served at sea in the U.S. Navy as a Boatswain’s Mate aboard the USS Paricutin during the Korean War.

As a civilian, he started work in the steel industry at ESCO, and later spent over 20 years at LaGrand Steel in Northwest Portland. During the 60’s and 70’s he owned the Watkin’s Park tavern in Clackamas as a second source of income. He retired from the steel industry in 1992 having finished his career at Ryerson Steel. He was an ironman on the job going years without missing a day. Hardworking and dependable, he was a model to his co-workers for effort and efficiency.

He was known as a friendly and social man with a big heart, great sense of humor, a fake grumpiness and teasing nature with grandkids, and a twinkle in his eyes.

A private service will be held at Rose City Cemetery in Northeast Portland.