Donald Clarence Feller was born March 1, 1937 in Kramer, North Dakota. Kramer, located in Bottineau County, population  220 people (today just 20). Don grew up in farm country, the youngest child of German immigrants. His childhood was difficult and lonely as his siblings were much older, his parents divorced when he was ten, and he attended a one-room schoolhouse. From his earliest years, he was incredibly intelligent and kind. He loved school and learning. He often talked about how his English teacher taught him so much about grammar, syntax, and parts of speech. He also had a deep fondness for the farm animals he cared for when he and his mother rented an uninsulated dwelling and worked the farm it was on for a meager income. Though Don would leave North Dakota after college, he never forgot his childhood, the North Dakota winters, his school days or the farm animals.

Don finally experienced indoor plumbing when he went to Minot State College (then Minot College). He held two jobs while going to school, one at the local men's clothing store and one with the Great Northern Railroad. After one year of college he decided to enter military service. This was a fateful decision as he met Albert Mason who had already graduated from the Wharton School (of Business), University of Pennsylvania. They met in Indianapolis and arrived together for basic training at Fort Hood. Following basic training they were sent to Wiesbaden Army Airfield, a U.S. Army base in Germany. Since they were so adept at typing and shorthand, they worked for the Colonel. Because they looked somewhat alike they were known on base as a hyphenate "Feller-Mason! Mason-Feller!" In hearing their stories, it seems as if they spent more time off base than on, including trips to London, Paris and Rome as well as to the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. They traveled in a used Mercedes that Al had purchased. After adventuring through Europe, Al insisted that Don return to college and pursue finance. That made all the difference.

After his military service, Don returned to North Dakota, earning his a bachelor's degree from Minot State in political science, history and finance/accounting. (He would later earn a master's degree from Portland State University.) He took the LSAT then decided on finance rather than law, earning his brokerage license by training on Wall Street. After Minot, Don alternated between teaching high school business courses and brokerage. His first teaching job was in Morrow County, Oregon and years later he secured a career in Tigard, Oregon at T.H.S. as a teacher, counselor, work-placement liaison and cohort leader of international students. Before that however, he landed in Los Angeles for a time, working for Ed Pauley in Los Angeles (of Pauley Pavilion), becoming his right-hand at a young age. In Portland, Don worked as a broker for Francis I. duPont & Co., and Birr Wilson & Co. Inc. In addition to finance, Minot State helped Don advance his interest in politics. Don actively campaigned for John F. Kennedy, including officially greeting him at a regional airport in North Dakota. Working for Pauley, Don also met President Truman (post-presidency) as Pauley and Truman were friends and allies. In fact, political organizing is how Don and Mary met.

Don and Mary met September 30, 1964, a mere 61 years ago. They were encouraged by mutual friends to co-chair the committee, Washington County Young Voters to Elect Lyndon Johnson. Just six months later, they married on March 19, 1965. Nearly 80 people attended Don and Mary's 51st anniversary party which was a tribute to "Life's Greatest Adventure". And it was. What a beautiful, loving relationship they had for so many years together. There are too many stories and memories within those nearly 61 years to share. Suffice it to say that they traveled the globe; shared a love of world history and culture; collected antiques and refurbished them; ran several businesses; shared teaching careers; served in the local Tigard community, especially regarding historical preservation; owned and managed rental properties; gardened and cared for nature; remodeled their home; loved a series of cats; and raised their daughter, Amanda.

When Don and Mary settled into their first home on Frewing Street in Tigard, Don transformed his days working for Great Northern into building an HO model railroad. It all began with a 1890s-style train set, a birthday present from Mary in 1966. Ultimately, the set grew to the size of the room – the outside track was 80-feet laid out in an oval. On many weekends, Don’s dear friend Keith Rodenbough, the youngest tugboat Captain on the Columbia River, would visit from Umatilla, Oregon. Together, Don and Keith would work on the railroad layout – adding track, connecting switching stations, building mountains, assembling and painting buildings, cleaning the track. It was a work of art. Alongside trains, Don also developed a love of classic cars. On February 14, 1973 Don purchased a 1938 Chevy Master Deluxe Business Coupe and naturally named her Valentine. He lovingly restored her and took her to car shows, including The Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance. He also loved Chryslers, first owning a 1948 Windsor then exchanging the garage space for a 1950 Newport hardtop convertible which he restored and named Winnie. Both Valentine and Winnie won prizes and went on tour, as Don and Mary belonged to both the Columbia River Region Vintage Chevrolet Club of America (VCCA) and the Pacific Wonderland Chrysler Club (PWC). Always a man with a vision, Don was an early leader for the Powerland Heritage Park and the Northwest Vintage Car & Motorcycle Museum (NWVCMM) both in Brooks, Oregon.

A love of cars and railroads brought with them a love of antiques. When Amanda was just a toddler, the family of three would adventure together across the country buying antiques and living in their van (first a 1968 VW bus then a 1972 Ford van). The day school let out, the family drove east to New England and spent three to four weeks working their way back home, treasure hunting with a dash of sightseeing added. The remainder of the summer was spent refurbishing antiques and working on the home. As Don and Mary became more secure in life, their love of travel returned to explorations overseas. Their shared appreciation for international culture, history and politics took them around the globe to many continents, regions, countries and cultures. They made friends everywhere. They also collected beautiful memories and cultural artifacts along the way, though they only had backpacks or suitcases to fill instead of a van. Don was a master of accents and could manage in most places with only a few tourist phrases; though his native German always remained fluent enough.

Don accomplished so much in his life because he was intelligent, curious and thoughtful. While finance, rental ownership and management, politics, trains, vintage cars, do-it-yourself home remodeling, travel and history were topics of study, education was the foundation of it all. Don wanted young people to have an open-mind and a life of opportunity. That is why he dedicated nearly 30 years to teaching and mentoring, 24 of them at Tigard High School. He experienced and viewed education – the subject knowledge, the critical thinking skills, the focus on life skills, the emphasis on civics, and the expression of empathy – as the way to a meaningful life that one could define for themselves and not by the ideology of one’s youth, family expectation, and social convention. Perhaps this is why, above all his accomplishments, he was immensely proud of Amanda. From a young age, she embraced his parenting lessons, especially those of integrity, kindness, intellectual curiosity, cultural appreciation and hands-on problem-solving. He was especially proud of her for earning four degrees -- a bachelor's, two master's and a doctorate – and for becoming a college professor. Don viewed the Professorship as the most worthy of pursuits and achievements. Don's highest measure of success was education because education shaped his opportunities, intellect, ethics and professional conduct.

Don’s worldview enabled him to recognize Mary as a kindred life partner, and together with Amanda they became a special, unique family. In their early days as a trio they adopted the motto, "One for all and all for one" from Alexandre Dumas's novel, The Three Musketeers; frequently saying it together in arbitrary moments of joy. Don was contented and gratified that they lived by that as a family no matter the circumstance. On August 7, 2025, Don was able to sit at the dining room table for Amanda's birthday. Together Don, Mary and Amanda raised their glasses while cheering "one for all and all for one" -- a moment savored more than the meal itself.

Don led a meaningful, special life. Ever the farm boy and gardener, he nurtured an impoverished, neglected childhood into a full, meaningful life that fed his family, his community, his students and his friends. In college, Don loved his philosophy courses and discovered rationalism. In Portland, his dedication to Rationalism found a home in Humanism and the Humanists of Greater Portland (HGP). He was an early member of HGP, serving in many roles. Mary and Amanda joined too. Humanism was the worldview that fit Don’s free thinking; kindness; and care and empathy for others and for the natural world. Because educational opportunity and the freedom of thought are what enabled Don to live his amazing life, donations in his honor can be made to the Humanists of Greater Portland Del Allen Memorial Scholarship Fund. 

Health-wise, Don led a healthy life, with much credit to Mary who kept vigil on his health needs and care. For example, when teaching at T.H.S. he would get up at 4:00 a.m. to use his rowing machine. He wore out three machines. The home and the rental properties he and Mary owned also kept him fit. Upon retirement, he would walk everyday through the Summerfield residential community to Primo Coffee when it was nice and at Washington Square mall in the winter. He also used the Providence gym for many years. For most of his life he could still wear his Army Class A uniform with a 32-inch waist. He and Mary became vegetarians when Amanda did during her first year at university; though meat – or “flesh” as he called it – was never commonplace prior to her decision. Despite his healthy lifestyle, he inherited high cholesterol and had to have a 4-way bypass in 1996 and an aortic valve replacement in 2017. However, his cardiologist cared for him so well that the morning he died his blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels were perfect. In September 2019 Don was diagnosed with Neuro-Endocrine Tumor of the Pancreas (NET) with 10 tiny rice-grain sized tumors in his liver. He took chemotherapy pills orally two weeks on, two weeks off until April of 2025. He did well on chemotherapy and had few side effects. Despite this, in September of 2024 Don had a severe case of Covid which led to long-Covid that he could not survive. Don died at home the evening of September 13, 2025.

Don will be missed by so many. He is survived by his loving partner and spouse, Mary Schendel Feller and his beloved daughter, Amanda Elizabeth Feller, both of Tigard, OR; his special niece, Beverly Feller of Aumsville, OR; his dear sister-in-law Marian Schendel of Tigard, OR, her children and grandchildren. Also by his closest, dearest friends Albert D. Mason of Boston, MA; Charles Colett of Sherwood, OR; and Fletcher Poling of Bismark, ND. 

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