Donald Dean Hunker, 84, a resident of the Forest Grove community passed away on March 17, 2021 at the OHSU Hillsboro hospital in Hillsboro.

 

Don was born on March 9, 1937 in Faulkton, SD. He was the second of two children born to Julian Joseph and Eva L. (Hill) Hunker. When Don was a baby his family moved to Hillsboro Oregon. He attended St Matthew Catholic Grade School and Hillsboro High School with the Class of 1955.

 

He enlisted into the US Navy following high school and served his country as a I.C. Electrician Class A and was stationed on the USS Princeton He was honorably discharged in 1959

 

Don met his future wife, Jeanne Ann Delplanche, through his friend Marvin, Jeanne's older brother. They dated for a few years and married on July 7, 1962 at Visitation Catholic Church in Verboort. They lived in Beaverton, Aloha and in 1969 moved to Milwaukie. In 1975 they moved a final time to their acreage in Forest Grove. They have three children together; Stephen, Sheryl and Rob. Jeanne passed away on February 9, 1984. Six years later Don met and married a long time friend, Darlene (Delker) Adams, she brought two more children into the family, David and Dianna. Darlene passed away on April 16,1999.

 

When he was released from the US Navy Don worked various jobs until 1962 when he started working as a General Supervisor for Code-A-Phone, in 1974 he switched jobs and began working for Rodgers Organ in Hillsboro. His real passion was as a gunsmith and in 1978 he opened "The Powder Horn" a gun shop in Hillsboro. Don's passion for restoring guns spanned over thirty two years. He "retired" in 2010.

 

He enjoyed the outdoors hunting and fishing. He enjoyed camping and visiting natural wonders in and around Oregon. Don was a prospector and had his own gold mine in Eastern Oregon. He enjoyed fixing old radios, was a founding member of the NW Vintage Radio Club and even made his own radio, "The Hunkerdyne" This lead him into repairing old car radios for car enthusiasts. Don was the ultimate fix it. He used his McGyvor skills on everything he was working on

 

Don is preceded in death by his wives; Jeanne and Darlene, his parents, a sister; Lois Spiering and a daughter-in-law; Theresa Hunker.

 

He is survived by his three children; Stephan Hunker of Cornelius, Sheryl Hunker of Forest Grove, Rob Hunker of Cornelius, two step children; David Adams and his wife Mandy both of New York, Dianna Henson of Beaverton, eight grandchildren; David, Rachael, Michael, Hannah, Rosemarie, Timothy, Andrew and Matthew and nine great grandchildren