Donald Claus Eisinger, 87

We said good-bye to our dad at noon on Thursday, July 29, 2010. Don celebrated his 87th birthday this past March 12. He was one of seven children born to George and Margaret (Goettches) Eisinger of Wayzata, Minn. Raised in Wayzata, he married his high school sweetheart, Grace Carey, in December of 1946. Their marriage spanned six decades! Proud to be an American, Don was a decorated World War II veteran and served as a medic in the Europe/African, South Pacific and North American Theatre. After the war, Don came out West and landed a job with the Forest Service, fighting blister rust in the Haugen area; later he would get on with the Great Northern Railroad in Whitefish. He retired from the railroad after 34 years of service. Don and Grace raised their five children in Whitefish, where he personally built the family home on West Fourth Street. After retiring, Don and Grace spent the winters in the sunny south, before coming back home full time in 1997. Don enjoyed the outdoors or was in his workshop building something. He was never one to sit around and he loved to visit with everyone. Don and Grace lived at Buffalo Hill Terrace where he was a wonderful baker and shared his goodies with many of the residents. After Grace passed away, he moved into a townhouse and, in 2008, he moved in with his daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Rick Walker. Don joins his most cherished wife, Grace, and youngest son, Doug, in the garden of eternal peace. He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Carol and Rick Walker of Kalispell, and Linda and Jesse Payne of Wheatland, Mo.; daughter, Connie Eisinger, of Missoula; and son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Billie Eisinger, of Whitefish; grandchildren, Chris Cahill, Carey Cahill, Jerod Eisinger, Ricky Eisinger; great-grandchildren, Kimberly Cahill and Katlyn Eisinger; brothers, Kermit, Leonard and Howard; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dad was a tower of strength, a big man with a big heart. We will always have the wonderful memories of the ideal family, living in a prosperous time and in the Last Best Place! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for all the right stuff! There will be a memorial service at a later date. Johnson - Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Don's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Don's guest book.