We lost one of our own - Don Benton. Dog lover, people lover, volunteer, donor, community leader. He gave to everyone and every cause, every day.

There are those people

that come along,

quite by accident

or maybe no accident at all.

 

 

 

They change your life

and the lives of all you know.

No fanfare.

Just there for others, helping them on their way.

 

They are selfless,

the soul of the community.

Giving is what they do.

Giving - not for credit, but for joy - for the gift of giving.

They walk not with pride, but with humility.

They are the people we long to be.

 

 

 

Sometimes they have life challenges

though we don’t think of angels facing challenges,

and they’re always helping others

so we miss that they’re actually human.

 

And so you think you have all the time in the world

to tell them how you feel.

and maybe a couple of times you did

but maybe you couldn’t form the perfect words today –

    in a room full of people,

    at life’s most private moment.

Or maybe you didn’t get there in time.

Who knew we only had a few moments left?

We always think there is more time…

 

And yet Don knew.

He knew how much we loved him.

Every one of us – and everyone we know.

So did his family and friends.

And God above.

Everyone knows how much we loved him – and always will.

Don had a soft spot for four legged kids and was on the board of Hood River Adopt A Dog. Here's his best friend Dieter. Don and Bonnie suffered the heartbreaking loss of their dog son this spring. Now Don and Dieter are reunited again.

In Hood River and every Gorge community –

he was our own,

he was selfless,

he gave everything he had to every moment,

to every person,

to every cause.

 

 

 

His wife Bonnie and daughter Lea Ann

were gracious - courageous -

they shared their deepest hearts,

and darkest moments this week

with us.  

They invited us in.

No place like home. Left to right: Dog Dieter, wife Bonnie, granddaughter Lily and Don. 

We are all family – related or not.

Bentons- every one of us.

Shoulder to shoulder.

In the room with Don - or caring from afar.

Don was an active in Hood River Lions and Rotary clubs. Here he is at this summer's installation of the Rotary Peace Pole at Jackson Park.   Photo by Chelsea Marr

I was there,

proud witness to your life, Don

and your amazing family

and the hope you built and blossomed in our community.

 

And in that moment,

shoulder to shoulder,

all of us Bentons - here and everywhere -

wanted you to stay.

Yep - he was a wise cracker. We loved that about him. With Lily.

And so the Don Benton reminder of life is this:
 

There is no moment - but this moment.

Not a moment to waste.

Say what’s in your heart.

Show up. For each minute of life.

For each other.

And give. Don was such a giver.

 

Dog River is the original name of Hood River, Oregon. Dog River Coffee was Don's favorite hangout. Here, he surprised people with free coffee and the gift of his time. He had many young friends, old friends and community leaders that he helped and supported from this, his unofficial board room.

 

Because

there are those people

that come along

quite by accident

or maybe no accident at all.

Don was active in Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Next Door, Helping Hands Against Violence and so many other organizations that help people. He loved people and pets in equal measure, and helped all of them.

Don married later in life and attracted the most amazing woman - Bonnie. His life was rich with family - daughter Lea Ann, Son in Law Eddie, granddaughter Lily and best friend Phil Thaler (not pictured.) And all the rest of us in the Columbia River Gorge - we were his family, too.

Read more about Don here