1928
Donald
2010
Donald Peter Gayken
March 24, 1928 — February 2, 2010
DONALD PETER GAYKEN
EDINBURG — Donald Peter Gayken, 81, passed away Tuesday, February 2, 2010, after a lengthy illness.
He was born in Lennox, South Dakota to John Gayken and Christina Poppinga on March 24, 1928. He was a longtime resident of Edinburg. He came to Texas in 1948 and was stationed at Lackland and Kelly Air Force Bases in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the USAF during the Berlin Blockade and later he served in North Africa where he received a Citation for saving a young boy from drowning. In December 15, 1949 he married the girl of his dreams, Patsy Bliss Gayken and they recently celebrated 60 years together. He was an insurance adjuster for many years and covered the greater South Texas area. He also served as a volunteer fireman for 25 years for Edinburg Fire Department where he became a captain. In later years, Donald served as the CFO of the Bliss-Moore-Gayken Real Estate Firm. He served in this capacity until his death. Don graduated from Lennox High School as salutatorian. He attended Edinburg Junior College which is now UT-Pan American. Don loved to hunt and fish and spent a week out of each year hunting deer at a ranch in Paint Rock, Texas. He also loved Texas Aggie football.
Mr. Gayken is survived by his wife, Patsy Gayken of Edinburg; two daughters, Cynthia Lenore (Mark Stephen) Deaton of Bulverde, Texas and Dr. Dawn Patrice (Charles Caporina) Gayken of Lake Conroe, Texas; three grandchildren, Taryn Shawn Deaton of Washington, D.C., Patrice Lenore Deaton of Kenya and Deana Marie Caporina of Lake Conroe, Texas; two brothers, Loren Gayken of Yakima, Washington and David Gayken of Jacksonville, Florida; a sister, Betty MacMiller of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; two nieces, Gloria Gene Moore of Austin, Texas and Sharon O’Toole of New Braunfels, Texas; sister-in-law, Gloria Bliss Moore of Austin, Texas and numerous Gayken nieces and nephews spread around the country.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today, February 4, 2010 at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, February 5, 2010 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside service will be held at 2:15 p.m. Monday, February 8, 2010 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas with full military honors. Pallbearers will be Rolando Gonzalez, Jerry Garza, Byron Lewis, Terry Van Burkleo, Tuffy Jackson and Charley Caporina. Honorary pallbearers will be Rene Guerra and Oscar Garza, Jr., and Dr. Jerry Polinard and member of the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Children’s Ministries of First Unted Methodist Church, 4200 North McColl Road or P.O. Box 2558 McAllen, Texas 78502.
The family wishes to express sincere thanks to Donald’s caregivers especially the personnel at Lifecare Hospital North in McAllen.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.
EDINBURG — Donald Peter Gayken, 81, passed away Tuesday, February 2, 2010, after a lengthy illness.
He was born in Lennox, South Dakota to John Gayken and Christina Poppinga on March 24, 1928. He was a longtime resident of Edinburg. He came to Texas in 1948 and was stationed at Lackland and Kelly Air Force Bases in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the USAF during the Berlin Blockade and later he served in North Africa where he received a Citation for saving a young boy from drowning. In December 15, 1949 he married the girl of his dreams, Patsy Bliss Gayken and they recently celebrated 60 years together. He was an insurance adjuster for many years and covered the greater South Texas area. He also served as a volunteer fireman for 25 years for Edinburg Fire Department where he became a captain. In later years, Donald served as the CFO of the Bliss-Moore-Gayken Real Estate Firm. He served in this capacity until his death. Don graduated from Lennox High School as salutatorian. He attended Edinburg Junior College which is now UT-Pan American. Don loved to hunt and fish and spent a week out of each year hunting deer at a ranch in Paint Rock, Texas. He also loved Texas Aggie football.
Mr. Gayken is survived by his wife, Patsy Gayken of Edinburg; two daughters, Cynthia Lenore (Mark Stephen) Deaton of Bulverde, Texas and Dr. Dawn Patrice (Charles Caporina) Gayken of Lake Conroe, Texas; three grandchildren, Taryn Shawn Deaton of Washington, D.C., Patrice Lenore Deaton of Kenya and Deana Marie Caporina of Lake Conroe, Texas; two brothers, Loren Gayken of Yakima, Washington and David Gayken of Jacksonville, Florida; a sister, Betty MacMiller of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; two nieces, Gloria Gene Moore of Austin, Texas and Sharon O’Toole of New Braunfels, Texas; sister-in-law, Gloria Bliss Moore of Austin, Texas and numerous Gayken nieces and nephews spread around the country.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today, February 4, 2010 at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, February 5, 2010 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside service will be held at 2:15 p.m. Monday, February 8, 2010 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas with full military honors. Pallbearers will be Rolando Gonzalez, Jerry Garza, Byron Lewis, Terry Van Burkleo, Tuffy Jackson and Charley Caporina. Honorary pallbearers will be Rene Guerra and Oscar Garza, Jr., and Dr. Jerry Polinard and member of the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Children’s Ministries of First Unted Methodist Church, 4200 North McColl Road or P.O. Box 2558 McAllen, Texas 78502.
The family wishes to express sincere thanks to Donald’s caregivers especially the personnel at Lifecare Hospital North in McAllen.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Peter Gayken, please visit our flower store.
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