Hello Friends of DON~

Seeing all of your email addresses with my own in a group mailing I've received in past messages, and in case you have not yet heard the sad news that our friend Don Davis has left his earth life, I take the liberty to let you know via Don's brother's recent message, below.

With heartfelt respect and many fond memories,

Michael O'Hearn

This message came in February 2nd, a Monday. Though nobody reads this, I feel it proper to summarize my dealings with this remarkable man. I worked for Safeway as a pharmacy technician from late May of 2005 to September of 2007, and I poured my heart and soul into the job. I was surrounded with amazing people and I met person after person who came to the pharmacy, one of the longest standing in Eugene, Oregon. Many college professors, writers, doctors, lawyers, and various creme de la creme frequented this place, and at times it took the appearance more of a speakeasy than a place of medication and advice disbursement.

I met Don briefly and at one point was probably helping him at the counter and he told me a joke. "What did Bush suggest we do about Avian Bird Flu?" Knowing it was about Bush gaffes (and in a particularly well-off area I never knew what political leaning I'd get), I cracked a huge grin. "Bomb the Canary Islands." I chuckled a bit. This is the kind of guy Don was.

After many further jokes, Don and I exchanged numbers and wound up hanging out a few times. Every time he saw me, "Did you see Chinatown yet?" The guy was relentless in forcing me to catch up on my classics. Don turned 80 years old last year (2008) and he didn't look or act a day past 50. He used to quip many a Mae West quote, and I got him a magnet for Christmas. It has Mae West on a surfboard being carried carried above the heads of a group of men, with the quote, "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful." I never had the chance to give it to him, with the busy schedule of a student and numerous excuses. It will stay with me as a reminder of you forever, friend.

RIP