Standage, Donald
Donald Leroy Standage departed from this place in time on November 4th, 2024, to be reunited with his wife Dorothy, who passed away in 2017. They spent 65 years together as a married couple. They had three daughters, Rhonda (Standage). Roxanne (Fuentes), Donna (Delgadillo)(Ephraim). During this time, the family grew to 7 grandchildren, Fern Geisdorff, Carlos Geisdorff (Amanda), Angel Royce (Evan), Anthony Fuentes (Tara), Ephraim Delgadillo Jr., Daniel Delgadillo (Christine), Sonja Delgadillo. In addition, 15 great- grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Don has one surviving sister, Mae Comer who resides in Chico, California.
Don was the son of Robert and Eulah Standage, he was born on December 21, 1931, in Loveland, Colorado, during what is referred to as “The Silent Generation”, which included the Great Depression. Don was one of eleven children. Sometime around the mid-1930’s, Don’s family migrated from the mid-west to the Southern California Coast where he went to school and spent summers working at the Balboa Fun Zone at the age of 15.
During the late 1940’s, Don followed his sister Dorothy Standage Bonds and her husband Joe, to Tuolumne, where he met his Wife Dorothy Domingo. They married in 1951 and shortly thereafter, he answered his call to duty, to serve in the Army where he was stationed at Ford Ord, California during the Korean War. Upon their return to Tuolumne, Don went to work at the Westside Lumber Mill and also put his carpentry skills to work as a local handyman. When the Lumber Mill burnt down in 1962, Don and Dorothy were faced with a difficult decision which meant leaving the home and community they loved in search of employment. This adventure took them to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Don worked in the U.S. Government Civil Service sector as a postman and security guard. Being these were short-term assignments he later secured a job with the East Bay Municipal Utility District as a Truck Driver. He retired from that position in the late 1980’s. He and his wife returned to Tuolumne in 2006 to the Tuolumne Rancheria, where they resided until their time of Death.
Their story is everlasting, you couldn’t say Don without including Dorothy, Dad without Mom, Grandpa Don without Grandma Dorothy, Uncle Don without Aunt Dorothy. Their world revolved around family and hard work. The love they shared was truly remarkable and committed, even when times were tough.
The legacy left behind is one of humility and unconditional love. Their ability to raise a family and provide shelter on a frugal budget, was a testament to surviving many obstacles such as the great depression era and other social injustices prevalent during their lives. Our family is truly blessed for the life lessons inspired by these two human beings. We will cherish all of the memories and continue to pass on the advice, “Just do your Best:’
- Date of Death: 11/04/2024
- Age: 92
- Residence: Tuolumne, California
