A heart of gold stopped beating.

Two willing hands at rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us,

He only takes the best!

Don was born April 12, 1950, to Evelyn and J.J. (Sandy) Sandifur in Shreveport, Louisiana. They moved to Aberdeen when he was young, and he graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1968.

In 1983 he met his bride, Marni Riedesel, and they married April 7, 1985, at their home in Hoquiam. She survives him at their family home, along with his mother-in-law, Aletha Riedesel.

Don had several odd jobs when he was young but found his true calling in cedar salvage (shake rat) which he loved dearly. He went to work as a finish carpenter for the Westport Shipyard in the early 2000s. In 2009 he returned to college and graduated from Grays Harbor Community College in 2011 with an Associate Degree in Applied Science-Energy, Technology and Power. On Sept. 15, 2011, Don and Marni opened a flower shop in Montesano; Marni’s Petal Pushers. For ten years they worked side-by-side every day. They played, laughed and enjoyed life in each other’s presence. Don was the bookkeeper for the business but what he really enjoyed was delivering the flowers.

Don loved spending time with his family. When the kids were growing up, they spent their summers camping on the shake claims where he was working. He loved watching sports and even played softball in the ’90s for the Pacific Beach Pounders. He loved shopping! It became a family joke that when he went to the store for one item, he would come home with seven bags!

He is survived by his wife, Marni and mother-in-law, Aletha of Hoquiam; his dad, J.J. (Sandy) Sandifur and his stepmom, Darlene of Mesa, Arizona; two daughters, Sonya Madison (Randy Sturm) of Aberdeen and Tanya Madison of Hoquiam; six grandchildren: Kelsey (Colby) Reed of Hoquiam, Jake, Jordan and Jaylan Oliver all of Hoquiam, Katelyn Frafjord of Hoquiam and Kasen Sturm of Aberdeen as well as two great-granddaughters, Hadley and Scarlett Oliver of Hoquiam.

We will be having a potluck celebration of life on August 14 from 11 a.m. to dusk at Twin Bridges County Park located on County Farm Road in Montesano. There will be games, music and fun just the way Don would want it.

Harrison Family Mortuary of Aberdeen and Montesano are honored to be handling arrangements. To sign the online guestbook or express condolences please visit www.harrisonfamilymortuary.com.