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- Went from school into the Air Force where he trained as an aircraft maintenance engineer. He met Jean during the war when he went home on leave with a friend from Waimana and attended a dance at the Waiotahi Hall. After they married they lived in Waitara for two years in a converted garage, and worked at the fertiliser works in New Plymouth. They then moved to Mangakino where he worked on the building of the Awakino dam.
In 1954 they moved back to Opotiki where he purchased the Opotiki Engineering Company. This was sold in 1978 because of ill health, but later he worked for the Bay of Plenty Electricity Board.
Don was a man of many parts - a fitter, turner, welder, mechanic , Inventor and wood turner, clock maker and radio repairman. Interested in all things mechanical, and would make a tool or engine part if none could be found. Also wrote music, short stories and poetry.
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1925 - 2002 (76 years)
