Obituary of Don Richard Couture

DON RICHARD COUTURE Don Couture, age 77, passed away Saturday, September 3 at home in Camas. He was born September 25, 1927 in Port Angeles, WA to Maxime and Blanche Chute Couture. They moved around the state of Washington while he was growing up and he would later join the Navy serving during WWII. In 1951 he married Norma Newkirk in Stevenson, WA. They lived in Longview, WA until moving to Camas in 1952. Don worked at the paper mill in Camas as a welder and volunteered his time as a Boy Scout Leader. Don enjoyed hiking in the Columbia Gorge and twice hiked the Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. He also enjoyed boating, fishing, traveling, reading, woodworking, sports, and wintering in Yuma, AZ. Most of all, Don loved his family. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Norma, at home; son, David Couture of California; daughters, Linda Akiyama and her husband, Paul of Tacoma, WA, Karen Howerton of Carson, WA, Laurie Brown and her husband, Doug of Camas; sisters, Margaret Westmoreland, Helen Shanks, and Mabel Stebbins all of California, Verda Ingram of Michigan, Virginia McDowell of Idaho; brothers, Ben Harrison of Issaquah, WA, Chet Couture of Illinois; 7 grandsons and 7 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be Sunday, September 11 at 2pm at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Camas. Straub?s Funeral Home & Columbia River Crematory in Camas is in charge of the arrangements. Memorial donations can be sent to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202. To send condolences or to sign the online guest book visit www.straubsfuneralhome.