Don was born February 15, 1947, in Lamar, Colorado, accompanied by a "womb mate", twin sister, Donna.  They came from a long family line of generational twins and this was the second set of twins for Bunt and Lucy.  Don and Donna grew up giving the other 4 sisters a lot of joy and laughter and good years of growing up together.

Don took his one-way flight to Heaven July 22, 2022, after a short stay in a Pueblo hospital and regrettably, without getting to say his goodbyes.  This happens to other families as we know.  So be sure to hug the ones you love every chance you get – tomorrow is many times too late.

Don grew up on the family farms helping to farm and raise cattle.  Being in the midst of 5 sisters was not an easy task he often said.  They were always getting him in trouble and making his life harder than it needed to be!  And their side of the story was that since he was the only boy, he was more than a little bit spoiled and Lucy's favorite child!

Don finished high school in Walsh, accepting Christ as his savior whole heartedly, and went forward with that decision.  He did a short stint in the National Guard before joining the Air Force where his life started taking some very bad turns during his time in Viet Nam.  He was honorably discharged from the service in 1972 and came back to the States to rejoin society.

He went on to working in the oil fields and travelling many states for a long period of time.  He also spent years behind the wheel of a semi hauling pork for Seaboard Farms out of Kansas and Oklahoma.  He loved driving and seeing new places so this was great satisfaction for him.  A few years before retirement he came back to his roots and enjoyed his family and home base again.

He took a bad fall one summer day and was flown out for hip surgery in Pueblo.  After being rehabilitated he chose to stay in Pueblo where he lived until his death.

Don had three children; Lori Underwood, Rocky Ford, Colorado, Joe Bishop, Denver, Colorado, and Sandi Malter, Collinsville, Oklahoma.  Through divorces and broken families people still survive but the time spent together is not always enough for hearts that hurt.

Due to Don's traveling and work life his daughter Sandi became a permanent part of Donna's family, joining her daughters, Kori and Dana.

Don loved music and his sisters put together a little band he loved listening to.  They have entertained in various places locally and though he was not a part of the band he was always on the sidelines as their greatest fan.  He also loved poetry and wrote occasionally himself, having three poems published in America's Best Poems books.

Later in life, Don acquired a vice he blamed on his mother and a few sisters (I won't name them here) that consisted of traveling (of course) to Cripple Creek, Colorado, and Jackpot, Nevada, the name gives it away, to see more country and pull the long handles of the slot machines.  Family reunions were one of his favorite past times too when he could make it to them.

Last but not least Don was an imperfect, forgiven child of God who came back to serving Him and the last several hears of his life were good again.  He regained the peace he longed for and had fought so hard for in those bad years.

Preceding Don in death were his parents, Orla (Bunt) and Lucy Bishop; his sister Virginia Bitner and baby sister, Leta Jane in infancy; brother-in-law, Devon Caldwell; two nieces, Leann Anderson and Dana Caldwell; and Justin Malter.

Remembering him today in life are his children, Lori Underwood and family; Joe Bishop and family and Sandi Malter and family; sisters, Donna Caldwell and family, Janice Hebberd and family, Shirley Anderson, Jean Kline and many family members here and in other places and friends of his younger years and by gone days.

Anyone wishing to donate in memory of Don, we suggest the Walsh Chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous: Walsh Acceptance Group, PO Box 219, Walsh, CO  81090.