Donal Howland Wilkinson – Moscow ID

Donal Wilkinson, 54, passed away on December 4, 2018 at his home on the Rose Creek Nature Preserve in Pullman Washington.  Donal was born on November 29, 1964, in Providence RI, the son of Susan (Hayes) Wilkinson and James Howland Wilkinson.  He and his family moved to Kinnelon, NJ in 1971, where he grew up playing outside, enjoying boy scouting, playing football, camping and traveling by motorcycle and sailboat around the Northeast. Don graduated from Kinnelon High School in 1983. After traversing the country and following the Grateful Dead for a summer, he joined the Navy and served as a cryptologic technician aboard the aircraft carrier the USS John F. Kennedy. This is where he met his lifelong best friend, Larry Volpe who went on to have uncountable adventures with Don.

After serving in the Navy and seeing much of the world for 6 years, Donal was honorably discharged and moved to California where he attended DeAnza College and received a bachelor's degree in Native American Studies.  He later attended Sonoma State University and received degrees in Environmental Studies and Marine Biology.  He went on to live in Oregon and settled in Moscow, Idaho before moving to Washington earlier this year.

Donal was truly a jack of all trades and a master of many.  Above all else, he was a teacher which shown through in many of his occupations.        Over the course of his life Don was a horseman, landscaper, teacher, tutor, carpenter, E.M.T in Hubbard, OR, campus ministry director at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palouse, founder and director of Adventure Learning Camps and Learning in Nature and a writer and poet. He was tireless in his volunteer work, ranging from working for environmental causes, political activism, Boy Scout Troop Master, a volunteer fire fighter, supporting the work of his Unitarian Universalist community, mentoring for the Idaho Drug Free Youth Organization and leading the Latah Brigade.

Donal had a remarkable passion for living life to the fullest. He had a wonderful sense of humor – his puns were renowned. His energy and curiosity were boundless. Don was committed to conservation and protection of the earth and he spent most of his life outside, reveling in nature.  He loved history and learning and took every possible opportunity to saturate himself in both. He had an ardent interest in the history surrounding the 19 ^th century fur trade and was very active in Hog Heaven Muzzleloaders and Mountain Man Rendezvous, organizations that hold re-enactments of that time period. Donal was an avid reader and collector (everything from guns to historical memorabilia to Native American artifacts to train collectables to ducks). He loved music, movies and football – especially the Dallas Cowboys.

Donal was always generous with his time, energy and love.  Each day he reached out to his friends and family through long, hand written letters, home made cards and post cards.  He would be the first one to drop everything to help someone in need.

Don is survived by his mother, Susan Wilkinson of Lebanon, NH; his sister, Thea Crawford and her husband, Tim Crawford of Grantham NH, his niece Hannah Varley of Grantham, NH and his partner and best friend, Sarah Vanderkraats of Moscow, ID. as well as countless friends and extended family.

A celebration of Donal's life is being planned for the future and will be announced on his facebook page.  Donations can be made in his name to Idaho Drug Free Youth or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline '1-800-273-TALK (8255)'

Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman, WA has been entrusted with arrangements.