What a treasured life story! I don't believe I had the opportunity to meet Don and that is clearly my loss.  As a past Tigard-Tualatin School District board member and now the City of Tigard Council President, I recognize how fortunate Tigard has been to have this family as part of our community for so many years.  My sincere condolences to the Feller Family and thank you for all the contributions dedicated to our community.

I met Don almost 30 years ago when he  introduced me to the Vintage Chevrolet Club.  Don and I have been friends ever since that day.  I will miss him, he was  a true gentleman.

Dave Starr

I was the class of 76 at Tigard high at Twality jr high I was lucky enough to start my Journey with Mary Feller as my history teacher .I loved her way of teaching history she kept me captivated . I also admired her stories she would share of her family especially the way her and Don were raising their daughter Amanda I always held that in my heart through the years . Then moving on to Tigard High I was lucky enough to have Mr feller as a teacher , I was pleased and honored to now know the whole family .there was something magical about that deep inside of me . Mr Feller was the first person in my life to care and ask me what I would like to do with my future life ? What would I like to be ? Hmmm I thought with excitement about my future and I told him I would like to be a woman auto mechanic ! He told me that could so be possible For the first time in my life I had some one who believed in me and he told me the way to go about it. That is one of my fondest memories he believed in me so I had a plan . But love and life sometimes has a different plan and that’s ok too . I will always hold a special place in my heart for Don ,Mary and Amanda. A secret love for them that I have always held close. People never know how they influenced others with kindness. Thankyou all for being you 💜. Darbie Mayberry

Uncle Don was a remarkable man—intelligent, kind, full of warmth and fun! Our family cherishes the special memories we shared with him, especially during the holidays when Bill, Duncan, Archie and I would visit for family get togethers. It was such a lively time and Duncan and Archie remember the fun they had playing with Don’s pinball machines, listening to him tell the history of the vintage toys, and they still have the treasured toy tractors he gave them. They fondly recall the model trains and amazing tracks from when they were really young, as do I from many years before in that magical giant train room at the first Tigard home. In winter 2024, when Duncan became engaged to Poorva, it meant so much to them to have Don attend their engagement ceremony. Of course he came in style, wearing his colorful (and heavy) stunning embroidered jacket to enjoy the festivities. Archie and Don shared a passion for cars and Archie was so grateful he got to spend some time with Don a few weeks before he passed, hearing Don’s special stories of the classic cars he had owned and loved. Mary and Amanda, we hope the endless special memories you have of Don will help comfort you during this very difficult time. 

Jeannie and I are very sad to hear of Don's passing. We'll always remember the many fun Chrysler Club Holiday parties at you house and what gracious host Don was. Also, his sense of fun, who else would put BMW badges on a Fiat 500!

Mary and Amanda,

We are saddened to hear of the loss of your husband and dad .  The world is poorer for his departure.

We met Don (and Mary) at a Chrysler Club National Meet in 1996 in Victoria BC. The fuel pump on Winnie the beautiful Chrysler they brought to the meet had failed. I had a new pump on hand and replaced the failed pump on Winnie. Later that day Don and I shared each others family history.  We found out that Don and I were distantly related.  This encounter initiated a friendship which continued to the present day with the random visits and e mail exchanges.

Knowing  Don and Mary brings back memories of the times we visited their home and the times they visited our home. Other memories come rushing back as we recall the Chrysler Club Regional Meets and activities that we all participated in. We relish these memories.

Please accept our sincere condolences.

Ron & Jean Wenzel

Victoria, British Columbia.

Sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Feller. 

I remember him walking the School halls and parking lots, hustling students into school and classrooms. 

We are sad to here that Don is gone. Duane and I have such wonderful memories of Chrysler tours, meets, and parties in your lovely home, Mary, You two are such gracious hosts and wonderful friends.  We regret that age, infirmities, time, and distance came between us. We will always treasure the wonderful memories! 

Amanda - so sorry about your loss. What a testament to living a live fully, for humanist values. Thanks for sharing this. 

Don at Neighborhood Party

Don helped our neighborhood become what it is today. As a host of many neighborhood gatherings along with Mary and Amanda, Don contributed to the welcoming familiar atmosphere we know and love.  Our children remember playing with and visiting his pinball machines and train room when they were growing up.  Our entire family has warm and wonderful memories of Don. He will be missed.

Joe and Marcia Kurtz

I have many wonderful memories of Don.  Hard to believe he won't be here to make more.

Don's trainland was such fun, I enjoyed watching the trains myself,  but Don really took pleasure in entertaining Duncan and Alex when they were very young and explaining all the special little details that made the layout so special.  They loved coming to your home to watch the trains.  Oh, yes, the other thing all the children really enjoyed was when Don would give them some change and they could play the pinball machines.  What a hit that was!

A look through our family photo album brings back memories of the parties you and Don would host; sometimes costumes were required.  We always knew Don would wear the most colorful outfit because of your travels to exotic lands where Don, perhaps guided by you, Mary,  would find the unusual, the unique little shops that catered to local people to add to his wardrobe.

I particularly enjoyed our time together when both of you were traveling and I would visit Don.  We had a great time walking around his lush vegetable garden and discussing how all of the plants were doing.  Sometimes Don would be a little disappointed in a plant's response to his ministrations, but he never lost hope that they would eventually respond!

There are so many memories as I look back over the years.  Don, you will always be in our hearts. 

Don and I came to know each other through a mutual acquaintance in 1998 and remained friends thereafter having lunch every 4-5 weeks at our favorite Chinese restaurant.  We shared mutual interests in politics, investments, and travel. Don was always very upbeat and steady regardless of the political situation or market conditions. We especially enjoyed talking about farm life and recent trips.  We had a fun time talking about his previous trips to Europe and my trip with family as a youngster travelling and camping all Summer thru Europe in 1969 in a VW Microbus.  He loved vintage cars and enjoyed his little red Fiat. He expressed his pride and love for Mary and Amanda who he often referred to as his "girls". I could really feel his love of family.  He travelled vicariously through Mary and Amanda in his later years and often relished mentioning some of the more exotic trips in interesting detail. I remember him coming to lunch wearing a vest from N. Africa or Turkey and telling me where it was purchased.

Don was a gentle soul and I shall miss him greatly and will always be thankful for our 20 plus years of enjoyable lunches.  Chuck Colett 

We, too, were saddened to hear of Don's recent passing. We were happy to have him as a good neighbor for many years who, along with Mary and Amanda, hosted many memorable celebrations at their home. Dean appreciated conversations with him regarding their railroad days, Don with Great Northern, and Dean with Burlington Northern (which Great Northern had been merged into in 1970.) Don's interest in model railroading was also shared and admired.

Don was kind, thoughtful, knowledgeable, well-traveled, and always a pleasure to be around. The neighborhood has lost a true renaissance man. Rest easy, Don.

If anyone ever asked me to describe my Uncle Don, I’d say he was someone who unapologetically danced to the beat of his own drum. He was impossible to categorize. He looked every bit the white-collar professional, yet had the hands-on skills of a seasoned tradesman. He carried himself with quiet maturity, but also kept a room full of toys that I, as the youngest in the family for many years, would escape to during Christmas gatherings, especially when I couldn’t handle the “boring” adult conversations any longer. These weren’t just ordinary toys—they were collector pinball machines and Plinko games—but he never hesitated to let me play with them, completely unsupervised.

I’m so grateful I had the chance to talk with him for a little while before I moved to Arizona last year, and to meet his cat, who he loved to sit with by the window overlooking the garden—a garden he was always happy to help tend whenever Aunt Mary had a new idea. A true partner in crime and adventure.

Rest in peace, Uncle Don. You will be deeply missed.

My thoughts are with you.  Don was special.

Blessings

Barbara

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Don last week. Our thoughts are with Mary and Amanda during this time. May they find comfort in the memories they shared and the support of those around them. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

He was such a gentle man, always welcoming us every Christmas for or neighborhood dinner. He was always interested what people shared with him as he was a great listener.

We will miss seeing him up in his window.

Don became an important part of my life for several years through his wonderful daughter, Amanda. Don, Mary and Amanda were an inestimable influence on my life. This family’s commitment to education has always been an inspiration, and I am reminded frequently of Don’s conviction that education is foundational to everything – illuminating, enhancing and guiding the way. From Don I learned a tremendous amount about construction, remodeling, plumbing, wiring and self-sufficiency. Using materials at hand, Don created methods to test circuits, to reach the unreachable within 100-year-old walls, and to deduce the intent of the builders from a confusion of clues. I also learned to aspire to his qualities of curiosity and generosity. Don was a courageous and creative problem-solver, giving of his time and experience. I look back on the times we worked together side by side with great fondness. We are all better for his presence in our lives.