Donald Secrest

Don Secrest, age 90 of Fort Collins, Colorado, died October 17, 2008 at Ft. Collins Health Care Center. A memorial service is planned for 10:00 AM Wednesday, October 22 at Christ United Methodist Church, 301 East Drake Rd., Ft. Collins. Please wear red in honor of Don's pride and joy, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Full military honors will conclude the service with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Another memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, April 23 in Red Cloud, Nebraska. Interment of his remains will be in the Red Cloud City Cemetery. Donald Boyd Secrest was born December 7, 1917 in Riverton, NE to Ernest and Lulu Belle Secrest. He loved sports and participated in sports in High School. He married Virginia Elizabeth Tennant on June 14, 1941 in Red Cloud. He served in the U. S. Army during WWII in the Signal Corps. After the war, he returned to Red Cloud and with Ginny, began Secrest Radio, which became Secrest Appliances and then Secrest Furniture. They were active in the Chamber of Commerce in Red Cloud and South Platte and participated in many other community activities. He coached the American Junior Legion Baseball team and played on the Red Cloud town baseball team. He also enjoyed spending time in the kitchen baking his specialties. They both served on the University of Nebraska President's Advisory Council for 23 years. He was active at their church; was a member of the Masonic Order; The American Legion; and the Elks. Among Don and Ginny's favorite activities were Ballroom Dancing and attending Nebraska football games. They retired in 1982 from their business and moved to Fort Collins in 1994. He especially loved Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains. Ginny preceded Don in death on April 16, 2005. He is survived by their daughter, Teresa Hoit Cathcart (and her husband, Steve) of Estes Park, CO; grandson, B.J. and wife, Leslie Bender, and their children Emeline and Brock Jett of Kansas City, MO; granddaughter, Gretchen Bender of San Francisco, CA; niece, Linda Lambrecht Stych, and husband, Jim of Conifer, CO; grandniece, Jaimee, and husband Jeff Kenna (and their children, Alexis and Milo) of Ft. Collins; niece, Diana Lambrecht French, and husband, Don of Ft. Collins; grandnephew, Justin French, and daughter CeeCee of Ft. Collins; grandniece, Shoni French of Ft. Collins; niece Michelle Tennant Hixon, and husband, Chris of Santa Clarita, CA and their children Garrett and Spencer; and a nephew, Chris Tennant, and wife, Darcy of Eagle, CO. In addition to Ginny, Don's five siblings preceded him in death. The family requests that donations be made, in lieu of flowers, to the Nebraska Children's Home in care of Goes Funeral Care, 3665 Canal Drive, Suite E, Ft. Collins, CO 80524.