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Early on Aug. 24, 2021, our Lord welcomed his faithful servant Donald to his eternal home.
Donald Fred Eden was born on Sept. 20, 1938, in Powell. He was the second child born into the family of Fred and Hildreth Eden, and spent his childhood living on farms near Kane and Penrose, Wyoming.
He attended Powell schools and graduated from Powell High School in 1957. While not enamored by the academics of high school, he absolutely loved the sport of wrestling. He was quick to remind anyone that he was a state champion when there was only one state champion in each weight class for the entire state.
After graduation, Don felt the call to serve his country and immediately joined the U.S. Air Force, where he gained knowledge in electrical power generation. He was stationed in France as a power production specialist.
Don met the love of his life, Ethel Jean “Jeanie” Mooren after returning from France, and they began his farming career. Together, they farmed in Willwood and Heart Mountain until settling northeast of Powell, on land they called home for over 50 years.
While farming was his livelihood, in his early years, hunting was his passion. Many nights were spent sitting in the hallway of the Powell Municipal Hall with his brothers and cousin “Duffer,” waiting for that elusive Badger Basin antelope permit. He hunted moose in the thorofare, elk in the Sunlight Basin and Elk Fork, and drew one of the first mountain goat permits for the Beartooth Range.
In addition to farming, Don took advantage of his skills as a welder and electrician, working for the Shoshone Irrigation District for over 23 years. He became a head ditch rider and spent winters rewiring and welding on the power generation plant near Ralston, Wyoming. It was not unusual to see him sitting in the building with a schematic book in hand and yards of electrical wiring splayed out on the floor. If there was a metal project, he’d design, fabricate, and weld it together for his farm, his family, and his neighbors. He was completely at home in the Big Horn Basin surrounded by family and friends.
Don was preceded in death by his father, mother and sister, Delores White.
He is survived by his wife Jeanie; brothers, Dennis (Linda) Eden, Keith (Brenda) Eden and William (Vicki) Eden; daughters, Sheryl Kobbe and La Donna (Bill) Stewart; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held for family and friends on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 from 6 to 7 p.m., at Thompson Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m., at the Presbyterian Church in Powell.
