Donald Lee Paro

Donald Lee Paro, 93, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, at his home in Salem, Ore. He had recently been diagnosed with leukemia.

He was born in Duluth, Minn., to Hazel (Bennett) and Albert Parrault. As his story goes, he quit school in the sixth grade and starting riding the box cars. He joined the Navy as soon as he could and was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska. During WWII, he was on the US Tennessee.

In 1944, while stationed in Seattle, Wash., he met and married Norma Ethel Ortloff. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this past June.

When he left the Navy, he and Norma moved to Duluth, and he went to work for Moland Brothers Trucking.

Their first daughter, Cynthia, was born in Duluth in 1951, and their second daughter, Juanita, was born in Thief River Falls, Minn., in 1952.

Don and his family moved to Glasgow in 1955 when he was hired as a brakeman for Burlington Northern Railroad where he worked until his retirement in 1984. While working for the railroad, he also did numerous other jobs. He owned Don Paro Trucking for several years, hauling cattle and hay. He was the happiest when he was behind the wheel and on the road or in the air.

He also went to school to become a welder and and went to flight school and had his airline pilot license. He taught flying at the Glasgow Airport to several students.

After his retirement from the railroad, he and Norma traveled the United States in their RV. They enjoyed all their visiting with family and friends and seeing sights along the way. They especially enjoyed visiting their daughters and families in Oregon and Arizona.

Survivors include his wife, Norma; one son from a previous marriage, Don Jr.; two daughters, Cynthia Fihn and her husband, Loren, and Juanita Crofton; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, with one more on the way.