Don Earl Dunham
1933 – 2025
Don Earl Dunham, 91, peacefully passed away January 2025, in Lander, Wyoming. Don was born in Visalia, California and raised on the family citrus ranch in Lemoncove, Tulare County, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley.
Don was the son of Doris Pogue Dunham Laubhan and Major Donald B. Dunham of Lemoncove. Don graduated from the University of California, Fresno, with a degree in engineering.
Don and his sister, Susan, spent much of the summers of their youth in Mineral King (Sequoia National Park) and did what so many children did in Mineral King…climb on Big Rock, hike to Black Wolf falls to play in the mine tunnel, hikes to White Chief, Eagle Lake, Mosquito Lakes, Franklin Lake, fishing and playing in the Kaweah River, exploring every inch of this small, beautiful alpine valley, and hanging out at the Mineral King Store with all the other MK kids.
In Don’s youth, family time was spent swimming at Terminus Beach, Slick Rock, and Dry Creek and picnics at McKay’s point. There were family dinners at Estradas, the Buckaroo, Moro Rock Tavern, and the Noisy Water Café.
Don married his high school sweetheart Mary June Douglas. He could not resist her beauty and kind and gentle soul. Together they raised three rambunctious and independent daughters.
Don and Mary June spent the next 20 years living and raising their family in the Fresno, California area, while Don worked for the USDA Soil Conservation Service. Every summer Don and Mary June, with their daughters in tow, spent many happy days in Mineral King at the family cabin (J.E. Pogue cabin on Pogue Row). Always on the drive up to Mineral King the family would stop at Atwell’s Mill and visit with Grace Alles. Every year there were family pack trips and most years they packed into the Kern River Canyon in Sequoia National Park. Escapades from those pack trips have been shared around many campfires over the years.
In 1974 Don, Mary June, and their youngest daughter DiAnne moved to Lander, Wyoming. In Wyoming Don worked first for the BIA at Fort Washakie, then as the City of Lander Engineering Inspector, followed by Fremont County Weed and Pest, finishing up his career with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
In the mid 1970s the other two daughters Kathy and Debbie moved to Lander making the family complete again.
In 2001 Don and Mary June took on another adventure relocating to Republic, Washington. Republic had milder winters and there were more grandchildren living there.
In 2020 after Mary June’s passing Don moved back to Lander, Wyoming to live with his daughter Kathy. Together they enjoyed reminiscing about all the “good ole days” spent in the mountains.
The real passions in Don’s life were the mountains and wilderness backcountry of the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains (California), the Wind River Mountains (Wyoming), other portions of the Rocky Mountains, and the desert ranges of Arizona and New Mexico.
Don was a fine gunsmith. He also crafted mule pack saddles for which he cast aluminum trees, as well as sewing canvas and leather panniers. He was a voracious reader of history and non-fiction.
During high school in California Don carried on a family tradition of going to the mountains by working as a packer for Ray Buckman of Mineral King Pack Trains and then during his college years working as a packer for National Park Service trail crews in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
During his working years in California, Don spent much of his vacation time taking family and friends on Wilderness pack trips into the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, acquainting them with the joy and wonder of the Wilderness. Occasionally, trips were made for Bill DeCarteret who by this time had purchased the Mineral King Pack Station.
Don enjoyed pack trips with his close friends. Many good times were spent around their campfires “drinkin’ dark whiskey and tellin’ white lies!”
Many people will cherish the memories of those adventures and sometimes mishaps with stock, bears, and other incidents associated with packing through the mountains. The consensus in Don’s family was that every pack trip was an adventure.
Don spent a considerable part of his energy in support and promotion of good stock and mountain stewardship and preserving the rights of horsemen through the High Sierra Unit of the Back Country Horsemen of California, the Rocky Mountain Riders, and the Wind River Back Country Horsemen (WRBCH) of which he was one of the founding members. Don wore his WRBCH hat proudly almost daily until he passed.
In his later years he made many pack trips and rides and lost mine expeditions, with family and friends to the Golden Trout Wilderness (CA), Pasayten Wilderness (WA), Gila Wilderness (NM), and Superstition Wilderness (AZ), as well as trips along the Oregon Trail and Continental Divide Trail in Wyoming’s mountains and deserts. He also enjoyed prospecting in Washington and New Mexico, finally substantiating the location of the “Lost Adams Diggings” near Quemado, NM.
Don introduced his first born granddaughter Mary Katherine to packing and they made many pack trips together. While living in Lander he introduced granddaughters Katie and Anna to riding horses, hunting jade, and panning for gold. While living in Washington he spent time showing his grandsons Jeff, Joe, and Eric the intricacies of prospecting and panning for gold. No grandchild was left behind as Don took care to introduce all grandchildren to that which he was passionate about.
Don is survived by his beloved sister Susan Murphy, his beloved daughters Kathy Dunham, Debbra Pogue, and DiAnne (Boyd) Hewitt; his close friend Lorin Beel; his seven beloved grandchildren Mary (Brett) Burrows, Katherine Lewis (Matthew Ward), Anna Miller (Chris England), Jeff (Jennefer) Hewitt, Joe Hewitt (Chelsea), Eric (Erin) Hewitt; ten beloved great-grandchildren, Lilly, Jesse, Isabella, Lauren, Kendall, Cora, Finley, Avery, Hudson, and Hadley; and one beloved great-great-grandson Takoda.
Don was predeceased by his parents Doris Pogue Dunham Laubhan and Major Donald B. Dunham (KIA Italy 1944), brother-in-law Don Murphy, son-in-law Tom Lewis, and great-grandchildren Jeff Hewitt, Jr. and Clarence Nash Hewitt.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. If you wish you may mail a card to the family at: Kathy Dunham,1055 McDougall Drive, Lander, WY 82520.
We will hold these memories dear and friends and family will wish him God’s speed on his return to the Kern River Canyon and the mountains of his youth.
Waiting to meet him at the last campfire will be old packers and friends; and surely, his faithful, trusty stock will be peering in from around the edges of that campfire.
His last words: “Vaya con Dios mi familia y compadres mio.”
“The clearest way into the Universe is through
a forest wilderness.” ― John Muir