Donald “Don” Bird, 90, died peacefully on June 17th, 2023 at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, Wyoming. He was surrounded by his loving daughter, Donna, and most of his extended family that he loved so deeply.
Don was born to Benjamin F. Bird and Hazel Waters Bird on November 19th, 1932, in Mutual, Oklahoma. He later moved to Waukomis, Oklahoma where he graduated with his high school diploma in May of 1950. While on a blind date just a year before graduating, Don met the love of his life, Dorothy Lee Lau Bird.
Shortly after graduation Don moved to Laramie, Wyoming, joining his father Ben, to work for Wyoming Construction. He was only able to last one month before driving back to Oklahoma to visit Dorothy. Shortly after, they agreed they no longer wanted to be apart and he sent for her to come to Wyoming, which she did on November 17, 1951. On the next day they were married in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
As a newly married couple, they traveled to Loveland and Denver, Colorado where they enjoyed their honeymoon. Upon their return to Laramie, they made their first home in a 26 foot mobile home (with no indoor bathroom) that was set up in the yard of a local Laramie couple. In 1953, they became longtime members of the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. Two years later, on March 17th, 1955, Don and Dorothy welcomed their first daughter, Debra Lynn Bird. In 1957, they traded their mobile home to the couple, whose yard they lived in, for the home and a small backhoe. This marked the beginning of Bird Construction, a company they built to employ multiple people and which did groundwork in all facets of Laramie’s growth until 1983. Don and Dorothy had many other business enterprises in Laramie throughout the years. On June 6th, 1958, Don and Dorothy welcomed their second daughter, Donna Jo Bird. Life was busy and their hearts were full.
Don loved the outdoors, particularly enjoying hunting, fishing, and camping. He especially enjoyed his places in the mountains and along the rivers: White Rock Estates, Arlington, and Woods River. Don was an avid Wyoming Cowboy Basketball and Football fan, often traveling for games and holding season tickets for over 50 years. He was a long-time member of the Southeast Wyoming Home Builders Association and the B.P.O.E Elks. Don always found pleasure in going out for coffee with friends, eating out with family, and taking his daughters for ice cream cones after checking ditch flares. He continued to love ice cream right until the very end. He was always up for a good laugh and had a great sense of humor, being a bit of a prankster. Later in life, Don enjoyed building puzzles and sharing good wine and food.
In 1981, Don and Dorothy were able to retire and travel around the United States, visiting all the states (except the Carolinas), Canada, Mexico and Newfoundland. Their years of motorcoach traveling were memorable, as were the friends they made along the way through their membership in the Family Motor Coach Association and their chapter, the High Plains Drifters. Don was the President, and held multiple other offices in the Drifters, and he was a National Vice President of FMCA. He liked to joke that he was president of the Drifters for two centuries, serving from 1999-2000. Don left this life knowing that he had lived a life full of many blessings, loved his Lord, and in his own words was “dadgum lucky”.
Don is preceded in death by his older brother Kenneth, his parents Benjamin and Hazel Bird, his wife Dorothy, and his oldest daughter Debi O’Donnell. He is survived by his daughter, Donna and Gary Crandall, of Laramie, Greg and Brenda O’Donnell of Laramie, and his nine grandchildren: Chad and Sarah O’Donnell (Cheyenne, Wyoming), Cassidy and Mitch Biggs (Laramie, Wyoming), Shon and Carter Crandall (Spokane, Washington), Jennifer Bird and Nathan Hamilton (Westminster, Colorado) and Megan Crandall (Troy, Alabama); and his six great grandchildren, Ben, Toby, Austin, Liam, Everette, Cashus, and soon to be born baby Bird Hamilton.
Graveside services with inurnment will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 23rd, 2023 at Greenhill Cemetery. A luncheon will follow for all who wish to attend. A private ceremony to honor his memory will be held at Woods River. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Don Bird Memorial Fund at ANB Bank of Laramie, Wyoming, for the placement of a memorial Lilac. It will be near the Don and Dorothy Bird memorial bench at Washington Park in Laramie, Wyoming, where he and Dorothy loved to walk together.
Donna - my condolences to you and your family. Don was a wonderful man...I always enjoyed visiting with him...He is now back with Dorothy and Debi watching over all of his children.
Thank you for your thoughts.
My condolences to your family. My dad, Ed Clymer, always liked your dad. I remember them belonging to a pinochle club that included your dad, my dad, Bob Blake, and Pepper Martin?, and four other players. They had good times together, with lots of laughter. I also remember babysitting you girls.
Thank you for your thoughts. I do remember all this and you. Many good memories.
What an amazing Dad, grandpa and friend to so many and part of history in Laramie. Our Harney and West Laramie memories and Cowboy basketball trips are embedded! God Bless all of u and Don is "home". Prayers and love to all of you. Gary and Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn and Gary. Your years of growing up with all of us made you very special in dad‘s heart.
Our families grew up together in Laramie. Our fathers worked together at Wyoming Construction and Bird Construction. We built cabins at White Rock Estates. I have known the Bird family since the early 1950's. My thoughts are with Donna and her family at this sad time in their lives. May Don Rest in Peace.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and words.
Just a few words about a very great man -- I met Don shortly after moving to Laramie in 1978 through the construction industry. A man of honesty and integrity, a man who could make a deal on a hand shake and honor it, and a man who loved his family and friends. A life well lived, and he will certainly be missed by all.
Thank you so much Dennis for your kind words
My dear Donna, I would like to extend my deepest condolences, I have many happy memories of your wonderful father, way, way back when your parents would go hunting and our family was lucky enough to have you and Debbie as guests at our house. I always enjoyed visiting with him when I would see him. such a nice man. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Jerri Burrowes
My sincere condolences and prayers. May you feel the Shalom of Adonai during this time and always.
Condolences to Don's family. We know he will be missed. He and Dorothy were wonderful folks and we enjoyed visiting with them while at Roadhaven Resort in Apache Junction, AZ.
Donna and families, I am so truly sorry for the loss of Mr. Bird. I always enjoyed our visits when I would run into him and Dorothy. Usually it was in Walmart. My heart breaks for all of you and for this town. He truly was one of the best. He has joined his beloved Dorothy again. Thinking of all of you during this difficult time.
Thank you Debbie. I know they enjoyed you for so many years.
With prayers about Donald Don Bird from Ukraine
Thank you so much.