Donald Edison Egner, 65

Donald Edison Egner died in his sleep on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, at his home in Kalispell. Don was 65 years old. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 15, 1944, to parents Margaret and Edison Egner. He was raised in Buffalo, along with his sister, Dolores Hengel, and attended Clarence High School. Don served in the U.S. Army, primarily in Germany, from 1967 to 1971. He graduated from West Georgia College of Carrollton, Ga., with a degree in math. While in college, he met and married Mary Josephine Muse, whom he later divorced. Don returned to Buffalo and worked for over 20 years at National Fuel Gas. A visit to Montana convinced him that it would be an ideal place to live after retiring in 2000. In Kalispell, Don was an active member of Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and had been serving as board treasurer for the congregation. He also spent time volunteering at the Flathead Food Bank and with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. Recently Don had been learning how to play the guitar and he was an avid reader. The communities that he found through service to his church and his volunteer activities provided him with enormous support throughout his life in Montana. Don was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister. He will be greatly missed by his family, including his daughter, Amanda Hunsaker, and her husband, Brady, and their son, Thomas, all of Pittsburgh. Surviving family members also include his uncle, William Gehl, of Forth Worth, Texas; and nieces and nephews, Cathy O Rourke and Ned of Los Angeles, Matthew Hengel and Carol of Philadelphia, Mark Hengel and Angie of Vista, Calif., and Sarah Cheung and David of Plainfield, N.J. A memorial service will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8, at Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1515 Trumble Creek, Kalispell. Donations can be made in Don s honor to Flathead Food Bank, 1203 Highway 2 West, Kalispell, MT 59901, www.flatheadfoodbank.com.