Donald D. Britain

Donald D. Britain died on Feb. 17, 2015,
at Providence St. Mary’s Medical Center
in Walla Walla.

Mr. Britain was born on Aug. 15, 1931, in Flemington,
Mo., to George Washington and Elsie Marie
Britain. In 1934 he moved to South Dakota with his
parents. He attended the public school in Oelrichs,
S.D. He also worked on several ranches and became
a cowboy as well as working as an apprentice carpenter
and became a journeyman carpenter. A loss of a
thumb, index finger and half of the middle finger on
his left hand occurred while working at Rapid City,
S.D.

He worked on ranches for a period of time and moved
in the 1950s to Washington state, where he participated
in amateur rodeos, attended and graduated
from the Western College of Auctioneering at Billings,
Mont., and continued working in the construction
field.

He worked for the U.S. Post Office in Kennewick,
and was a deputy sheriff in Benton County, Wash.
In 1967 he began employment with the Department
of Corrections in Walla Walla at the State Penitentiary
as a correctional officer. He continued in this
career until his retirement from the Department of
Corrections. He retired as Plant Manager 111 of the
engineering department at the Washington State
Penitentiary in Walla Walla on June 1, 1991.
He was a lifetime member of the Walla Walla Elks
287; Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie #26; VFW.
He enjoyed playing music with friends, was an avid
collector of western memorabilia to include: western
art, Will James books and Hesston Pro-Rodeo belt
buckles. He was a talented wood worker and wood
carver.

Survivors include his sons, Forest Dale Britain of
Cleveland, Tenn., Donald Wayne Britain of Kennewick,
Lance Leroy Britain of Peoria, Ariz.; five grandchildren;
two great-grandchildren; one nephew; and
three nieces. He is preceded in death by his brothers:
Charles William Britain, George Elton Britain and
Gerald Vernon Britain; his sister, Norma Lee Whitner;
and his parents, George Washington and Elsie
Marie Britain.

Memorial service will be 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 27,
2015, at Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W.
Alder, Walla Walla, with Rev. Steve Morris officiating.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Feb.
28, 2015, at Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1401 S.
Union St., Kennewick. In lieu of flowers, contributions
may be made to the American Diabetes Association
through the funeral home.