Don Curson, a resident of Manteca for 57 years, died peacefully Friday, March 26, at the age of 87, in a nursing facility in Woodburn Oregon.  He is survived by his wife Edith Curson and daughter Janice Settlemoir.  He is preceded in death by two sons, Donald and Kenneth Curson.

Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1923, Don spent his late teen years working for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government program designed to provide aid relief for the unemployed during the Great Depression while implementing a general natural resource conservation program.  Don later enlisted in the Marine Corps and was a WWII veteran.  In 1946, Don married Edith Stone, spending 64 years together.

During his early working years he tried his hand at chicken ranching but for most of his career was a firefighter at several military bases and for the city of Manteca while also working as a truck driver in the Central Valley of California.

Don was a member of First Baptist Church in Manteca and then of the Northgate Wesleyan Church in Salem, Oregon. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Manteca.

Don was outgoing, with a great sense of humor, making friends easily, especially during the many years he made use of the VA medical facilities in Livermore and Palo Alto, California and Salem and Portland Oregon.  

He immensely enjoyed fishing, hunting and RV traveling.

Due to declining health, he and his wife, Edith, spent the last 5 years living with their daughter and son-in-law in Salem, Oregon.  

A service to celebrate Don’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at Northgate Wesleyan Church, 2405 Carleton Way NE, Salem Oregon.

Donations may be made to Shiners’ Hospital for Children, 3101 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239-3095