Don Blades

October 4, 1947 - June 2, 2023

Donald "Don" Ray Blades passed away peacefully with his beautiful wife and loved ones by his side on June 2, 2023, in Moses Lake, Washington at the age of 75, after fighting a brief battle with cancer.

Born to Amos and Roberta Blades in Raton, New Mexico on Oct. 4, 1947, Don graduated high school in Visalia, California in 1966. After he graduated high school Don attended Sequoias College. After only a few months of attending college, Don enlisted in the Army on Oct. 24, 1966. Don served in the Vietnam War as a heavy equipment operator. He was honorably discharged in 1969, six weeks before his release date, by a letter written from his agricultural education teacher for a job working on a Charolais Cattle Ranch in Enterprise, Oregon.

There, Don met the love of his life of 53 years, Kathy Zollman, at the Enterprise Baptist Church. Don and Kathy were married April 11, 1970. For a short while after being married they moved to Cascade Locks, Oregon, where Don worked at a sawmill. There they welcomed their first son. After the birth of their son, they moved to Wallowa, Oregon, where Don began working for Johnson's Hereford Ranch, and there they also welcomed their first daughter. Don began to focus on his education and attended college at the University of Idaho, where he studied to be an agricultural education teacher. From there, he and his family moved to Starbuck, Washington where they welcomed their second son. The family made yet another move, to Genesee, Idaho, where Don worked on the Herman Hog Farm, and there they welcomed their second daughter. Don and Kathy made their final home of 35 years in Moses Lake, Washington, where Don worked for and retired from Samaritan Hospital after 25 years.

Don was the ultimate cowboy and craftsman. He loved working with livestock, and creating masterpieces out of wood, and leather. Don shared many of his passions with his children and grandchildren and loved to share his loopholes and tricks to perfection that he learned over the years. Don's relationship with our Heavenly Father, and the faith that he carried within himself daily, is completely admirable. The love and care that Don presented his family and loving wife with until the very end of his life is one of the many exceptional traits that made Don such a wonderful man.

Don is preceded in death by his son William (Baby Bill) Blades, parents Amos and Roberta Blades and brother Kenneth Blades. Don is survived by his wife Kathy Blades; son Corey and wife Debra Blades of Moses Lake, Washington; daughter Jennifer and husband Wade Horrell of Lewiston, Idaho; daughter Tiffany and husband Corey Shearer of Moses Lake, Washington; grandchildren Shailee Blades, Jacob and wife Ruby Blades, Molly Shearer, Travis Shearer, Levi Horrell, Leigha Russell, Christina Russell, Tiara Conklin-Blades and Ahraillyah Blades; three great-grandchildren Alison, Ever, and Ariel Rincon; sister Larita Eddy of Rock Springs, Wyoming; brother Ben and wife Jimmy Blades, of Surprise, Arizona; sister Sue Iles, of Moore, Oklahoma; and sister-in-law Sammie Blades of Breckenridge, Texas.

Services will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1601 W. Valley Road. Service will start at 3 p.m.