Donnie Garner, 73

Donnie R. Garner, 73, of Newport, Idaho, formerly of Glenns Ferry and a former police chief for Mountain Home, died on Saturday, May 19, in Spokane, Wash., after a long battle with cancer.

Donnie was born April 6, 1934, in Glenns Ferry, son of Michael and Edna (Fromel) Garner. He spent his youth in Glenns Ferry, graduating from high school in 1952.

The summer before his senior year, on July 15, 1951, Donnie married his sweetheart, Donna Betty.

After graduating from high school, Donnie joined the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS Wilson as a Machinist Mate 2nd Class during the Korean War.

After his discharge from the Navy in 1956, he spent time doing construction work and owned a bakery in Mountain Home.

During that time he also went to night school, where he earned his associates degree.

In Mountain Home, he became a reserve police officer, and later became a police officer, rising to the rank of chief of police.

Later, the family moved to Pend Oreille County because of the beauty of the area. Donnie served as a deputy with the Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Department, retiring in 1997.

While a police officer in Mountain Home, Donnie started the first School Resource Officer Program, and as a Pend Oreille County deputy he helped organize and worked with the Neighborhood Watch Program.

Donnie was a member of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion and a longtime member of the Nazarene Church.

He loved to work in his wood shop, hunt, fish and hike. He also loved having his family around him.

Donnie is survived by: his wife of 55 years, Donna Garner; his children, Gaydene Garner of Fairbanks, Alaska, Guy (Jane) Garner of Battleground, Wash., LeRee (Don) Weatherman of Colville, Teresa Garner of Usk, Michelle (John) Mills of North Pole, Alaska, and Daniel (Lisa) Garner of Usk; sisters Clavel Chrysler of Mountain Home, and Irene (Ed) Cole of Shell Knob, Mo., Linda Sapp of New Castle, Del., and Trina (Victor) Garza of Great Falls, Mont., and 11 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by: his mother and father; son Morgan Garner; brother Everett Garner, and his sister, Liska Owings.

A funeral service was held May 24 at the Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport with interment following at the cemetery in Cambridge, Idaho.

Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home and Crematory in Newport was in charge of the arrangements. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at Sherman-Knapp.com.