esomekawa 21st June 2011

I have such fondness for Don. Don had a way of looking into your eyes and making you feel that he was so genuinely happy to see you. I remember, during the first Gulf War, going to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport with Don and Shirley and Eric and a few others to sing anti-war X-mas carols: “We three corporate CEOs are. Seeking cash, we travel afar. Jungle, isthmus, desert, Christmas, engaging in foreign wars. Ooooh ooooh . . .” Don was such a bulldog, defending our free speech rights, taking on the security guards who came to try to chase us away. I remember Don and Shirley coming out for Thanksgiving, and watching him play for hours with a castle-building set we had. He seemed endlessly fascinated with this toy; he just dove in and let it consume him. What a spirit of play and love of discovery he had. And then there was sailing. I’ve always loved sailing, but, not being a Unistar baby, I felt that it was this elite kind of thing that you had to be “born into.” Don helped me see that I could learn to do it. He taught me to sail – with such gentleness and delight. He was patient and kind and encouraging. Most of all we just had a total blast out there on Cass Lake, sailing . . . knowing that there was no place on earth we'd rather be. Good bye, Don. I will miss you. Ell