I met Don in Riyadh in 1984. He picked me up at the airport on my 1st day and we became fast friends.  We spent every day together walking the Greenhouses: growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the desert!  I didn't know much about growing tomatoes yet, Don was a great mentor as well as a friend.  He loved telling stories about growing up in Illinois at the quarry.  And of course the story of the u-turn when he saw the beautiful blonde that he fell in love with instantly. He loved to help others, lobbying to get a brilliant young worker, Cornelius, a job in Riyadh and off the farm.  About a year after I met Don, we were busy getting a patio and trellis to grow the clematis ready for the arrival of Mary, Dylan, and Chenoa. Great memories of BBQ, hanging out with Dylan, Chenoa on my lap as Mary cooked dinner. On the farm we enjoyed making  beer and wine together. Our British friends, Ian, Craig, Pete, and Malcolm never thought we were very good at it, but that didn't stop us. Don and I were like Mary's 3rd and 4th children!

Don was a true entrepreneur and one of the smartest people I knew.  He was so inquisitive, we were always brainstorming how to improve on our tomato production.  He came up with many improvements, we even created an interplanting system. Don instilled in me his love of growing and I started a tomato farm in southern New Jersey.  I am glad we had the opportunity to talk now and again. Such fond memories of Don. I always wanted to get to Montana, wish I had made the time. He was such a great guy, my heart goes out to you Mary, Dylan, and Chenoa.  Talking to you this past week has brought back so many great memories.  Thank you for reaching out.♡

John Dooley

I first met Don in the mid eighties when he was managing the Abunayyan farm in Dirab, Saudi Arabia. We became good friends and I enjoyed visiting the farm. Don was a guest at our wedding at the British Consulate in 1991. Shortly after Don asked me to work for him as Farm Maintenance manager. It was an absolute pleasure working for Don, he was the nicest guy I have ever worked for. We would, on occasion, saddle up a couple for the horses and carry out a farm inspection on horseback. Don had a real passion for the horses and every thing he grew on the farm.

Sadly Gill and I haven’t seen Don, Mary or the children since we returned to the UK in 1993 apart from a lovey day together at Kew Gardens, in 1994, on their way back to the US from Riyadh.

We cherish the time we spent with them in Saudi Arabia. Our hearts go out to Mary, Dylan, Chenoa and all the family. We offer our deepest condolences.

Rest in peace Don

Don is a special friend. We met in 1975 at the University of Montana Golf Course at the base of Mt. Sentinel as a result of our mutual interest in hang gliding. The golf course provided the perfect landing zone for hang gliders. I was in graduate school at UM but really came to Missoula to hang glide. I visited Don (and his black lab Frasier) several times at his cabin in Arlee next to the trout stream that provided a fresh trout breakfast with fried eggs. After I returned to Illinois for career, marriage and family we always found time to reconnect over the years in addition to periodic emails and visits:

- In 1980 I came back to Missoula and had a “wedding warm-up” with friends at the Stockman’s Bar and then off to the Cedar Bay Lodge for a great wedding celebration.

- In the late 80’s we met in the Netherlands in February, Don with his father to attend a horticulture conference and my father and I to do genealogical research. Don and I had a memorable “Carnaval” (aka Mardi Gras) event in a small Netherlands town mid-morning having a beer in a bar established in the 1500s and watching a noisy Carnaval parade swing by.

- In the spring of 1999 I made a trip to Nepal to visit Don at the Dabur Nepal Compound and trek in the Himalayan foothills on the Langtang Valley trail.

Perhaps more importantly I made a trip west last April and had a visit with Don and Mary at their home in Missoula. I didn’t realize it would be the last time I would see my friend but not the last time I would smile about the times we shared. We should all be so lucky to be remembered with a smile.  

Tim Sio