Don J Boyd

Thank you, dear Don, for being such a good friend for decades. Love, Dani

Don and I first met and got to know each other in 2002, when I had been living in Bangkok for six months due to my ex-partner's job. We both liked the same little café, where lovely Chinese people made the best croissants in town and served a decent coffee. Don and I used to share the newspaper ("The Bangkok Post" and other) and regularly ended up discussing politics, cultural peculiarities or philosophical aspects of life. This is, how our friendship started. From then on, we stayed faithful penfriends for more than 20 years... The last time we personally met was in 2018, when my best friend Henning and I traveled along the Cascades. (I am very much into natural sciences and truly enjoy "watching geology at work".) Don and his dear wife Laurel, an incredibly ingenious, most amiable woman, hosted us at the beginning of our trip and after every “travel loop”, so that we could share and discuss our impressions and gather new hints and recommendations for our next destinations. We also did wonderful daytrips together. Don incorporated so many human values in one person. He was a generous, tolerant, humorous, understanding and sapient character, so aware of what is going on in this world, in political just as in environmental respects. He loved his garden, where he grew his own organic fruits and vegetables and looked after the beautiful hummingbirds. Rest in peace, my friend. I miss you. I will always remember you. Dani Daniela Fengler Freising, Germany [email protected]

R.I.P. Don. We miss you but we are lucky to have spent the time with you and Laurel that we did.

Kyer, Don thought you were amazing!!

Don was one of my favorite people. We last spoke with him several weeks ago and he was headed to Cambodia due to the visa restrictions in Thailand, and during the call he stated several times that he was short of breath and his O2 levels were very low - we asked him to get to the hospital, but he had other ideas. Don, you were such a great conversationalist and we could chat for hours. I will dearly miss those wonderful memories and I thank you for being such a great friend. You and Laurel were so generous and loving. I will miss the corned beef and cabbage during St. Patties. I will miss you just showing up to get a hug. I will miss your level headedness when the conversation was difficult and about certain politicians we both could have lived without. I will miss your asking about how Wren is doing. You were so kind to her and you loved her so much- thank you Don! I will miss your laugh. I will miss your council. I will miss your always believing in me and the paths I have taken. Thank you Don. I love you as if you were a parent of mine. Both you and Laurel were our family here on Sluman, thank you!! I will miss you. However, I am so grateful that you may now be sitting with Laurel and not missing her - and that thought makes my heart swell! I say you and Laurel will always be part of our family and we love you for being you! Thank you Don! You are loved!! Sincerely, John Brunzell Ashley Evensen and Wren Brunzell Safe travels my friend!!

In Memory of Don Don and I first met when I was a boy; he bought a painting from my mother at a garage sale. Later, after I graduated from the University of Oregon, I got to know him through his oriental carpet business in Portland. I was amazed by his encyclopedic knowledge of rugs and the cultures behind them. He sharpened my mind, expanded my vocabulary, and even survived a two-hour dictionary challenge on a road trip. I worked with Don as he closed the carpet business, and admired his humility—he rolled up his sleeves and cleaned floors alongside me. Together, we started a jewelry business, traveling the West Coast while he sourced gems from Asia. Don believed in me, taught me resilience, and inspired confidence, even in situations as strange as selling turquoise beads to skeptical boutique owners. Throughout my adult life, he was like a father figure, friend, and confidant. We shared stories, advice, laughter, and heartbreak. Then he met Laurel, his life partner of 30 years. They were kind, loving, and a model couple. After her passing, I helped him adjust, and he eventually moved to Thailand, forming a small community and continuing to embrace life. Last summer, I visited him in Portland; even in his mid-80s, he remained sharp, kind, and open-hearted. We continued weekly correspondence until just days before his passing. Don lived a rich, full life, full of curiosity, humility, and love. He believed in me, inspired me, and left a lasting mark. I will miss him dearly.

17 May 2011 ‘…. This morning we are both working at our laptops while admiring the red-headed yellow tanagers out the window. This is the first year we have had them here. I am pretty sure they are just migrating through, as they are a flock. I just added fruit to our seed and syrup offerings. We take lots of joy in the hummingbirds, who come to our feeders frequently year around, even in dead of winter. Mostly we have anna hummers, but also a few rufous. As to age, I feel that you are not old until you are in your late 60's and 70's, and here I am! Certainly I felt young and energetic at 50 or even 55. Actually, as I am finally recovering today more fully from the flu I feel a bit younger than 71! If you escape bad health and do some exercise, you can do a lot at any age. My best friend is a psychologist, and just returned from a professional conference. He is the one who is 90. He still sees old clients--I think he has stopped taking new clients. He lives in a retired folks apartment since he had a small stroke and other health issues a year and a half ago. When he was 88 he was as energetic as I was at 68. I sure enjoyed Paris more when I went with Laurel (just 2 days) than when I was there alone on several occasions. With love and hugs, Uncle Don’

My brother and I were so fortunate to have our great Uncle Don in our lives. To us, he was never just a great uncle — he was more like a grandfather, someone who made us feel deeply loved. One of the things I will remember most is his laugh. It was the most pleasant, comforting sound — the kind that instantly made you smile and feel at ease. It reflected who he was at his core: kind, gentle, and quietly brilliant. Uncle Don had a special way with children. He played with us and shared moments that became lifelong memories. One of my favorites is the day he took us to a fair. He went on a water ride with us, got completely soaked, and laughed through every second of it — enjoying the moment just as much as we did. That was who he was: present, joyful, and generous with his time and spirit. I carry the fondest memories of Uncle Don in my heart. His kindness, intelligence, and warmth shaped us more than he probably ever knew. He will be greatly missed, but his laughter, his love, and the memories we shared will stay with us always.