Longtime Durango, Colorado resident Don Ingle died surrounded by family on September 10 at Sunny Vista Living Center in Colorado Springs. He was 84.
Donald Walter Ingle, Sr. was born on January 18, 1929 in Baker City, Oregon to the late Glen and Bess (Wiglesworth) Ingle. He was a 1947 graduate of Baker City High School and attended Eastern Oregon University, majoring in Mine Engineering. He married Arlene Carnes on April 29, 1949 in Boise, Idaho. After working as a company representative for the Standard Oil Company of California in the Pacific Northwest, Don and his family moved to Durango in 1962 where he owned and operated Ingle Oil Company with plants in Durango and Cortez, and later the Ingle Trucking Company. Don also transformed his lifelong love and talent for flying into an additional enterprise, Durango Air Service, which operated at La Plata Field for a number of years. He was particularly proud to have served as Chairman of the La Plata County Airport Commission in the 1970s and was instrumental in garnering funding and support to expand La Plata Field into a jet-capable, commercial airport. Don was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Durango Elks Lodge, the Hillcrest Golf Course Board of Directors, received commendations from the Colorado State Patrol, and was a talented horseman and sportsman.
Don is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Arlene of Colorado Springs; and four children all of whom live in Colorado: Donna (Dave) Webber of Grand Junction; Deanna (Bob) Riley of Durango; Debi (D.J.) Jones of Colorado Springs; and Donald (Karen) Ingle, Jr. of Highlands Ranch. Don and daughter-in-law Karen adopted one other as father and daughter. He has nine grandchildren: Chris Engle, Ryan Engle, Ashley Jones, Drew Riley, Justin Webber, Katie Riley, Chris Riley, Hallie Webber, and Kylene Ingle. He has fifteen great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by a daughter, Deah Michele Ingle and sister, Doris Sailing.
He will be best remembered for his love and support of family, wonderful and corny sense of humor, and love of the mountains surrounding his childhood home of Sumpter, Oregon and Colorado’s San Juans.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, 2013 in the Chapel at the Sunny Vista Living Center, 2400 E Cache La Poudre Street in Colorado Springs.
A celebration of his life and open house will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 2411 Delwood Avenue in Durango. Private interment will be held at a future date at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Baker City, Oregon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to The Sumpter Valley Railroad, P.O. Box 389, Baker City, OR 97814. The Railroad is a 501(c)3 organization.