Donald John Heller

Donald John Heller: May 30, 1932 – December 15, 2024

SCAPPOOSE- On December 15, 2024 Don passed very peacefully surrounded by family. Don was born to Fred and Margaret Heller and is survived by sisters Vicky Hunt, Lou Ella Hanson, sons John (Patricia), Jeff (Bev) and Rob (Tina), grandchildren Susan, Leslie, Heidi, Anna, Darren, Kelsy, Miranda, and nine great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Joyce and grandson David.

Don spent his early years living in Scappoose, Oregon. At a very young age, he would be found hanging around logging and construction camps in Oregon/Washington and playing in the leather bin at the West Coast Shoe factory where many relatives worked. During the 1945 flood, and at the age of 13, he drove a dump truck to help haul rock to reinforce the Scappoose dike. As a kid he liked riding the steam logging train from Scappoose to Vernonia with his grandfather to sell Wesco custom boots to the guys in the logging camps. Growing up, Don and his brother Freddy enjoyed their Sunday morning ritual making cinnamon rolls for the family. The love of cinnamon rolls lasted his entire life.

In high school he enjoyed playing basketball and working on his many cars.
At 20 years old, while taking his best friend to the train station to see him off to boot camp, he met the love of his life, Joyce Heumann. (Who at the time was dating his best friend). Not long after meeting Joyce he was drafted for the Korean War, and in three short months, Don proposed. Two weeks later, he and Joyce married before he was shipped off to boot camp. Their marriage continued for 69 wonderful years.

Don and Joyce went to Camp Roberts in Monterey, CA for Don’s basic training. After being stationed at Castle Air Force Base in Merced, CA he became part of the Engineering group and was in charge of a D8 Caterpillar and lowboy truck for building roads and landing strips. His group was then called up for service in Korea. His Cat and lowboy were loaded in an air transport, and while approaching Korea, the plane received orders to turn around and flew back home. For extra money while in the Army, Don would work transporting prisoners and chasing down and retrieving damaged small aircraft drones for an anti-aircraft battalion during training and testing.

While still in California his first son, John, was born. Two years later, after his Army years, he moved back to Scappoose, and his second son, Jeff, came. Ten years later after moving to St. Helens, Oregon, third son, Rob, made his debut.

In 2003, Don and Joyce built their beloved riverfront retirement home on the shores of Columbia City and spent their remaining years lavishly entertaining on their back deck with countless friends, neighbors, deer, squirrels, and every kind of bird species.

Don loved to work and be outdoors. Early on, he worked all over the PNW logging large tracts of land for Neuman Logging, ran a forklift for the local mill, was a longshoreman and millwright. He started Heller Construction and built roads and installed sewer systems, eventually evolving into Heller & Heller logging, and spent his later years working at Heller Enterprises where he ran, rebuilt, and maintained manufacturing equipment.

Don loved keeping busy, traveling with Joyce around the US, and making many trips to Reno. He also loved the Oregon Coast, where for over forty years, Thanksgivings were spent with family at their Lincoln City home.

Don was a loving, extremely devoted husband, father, and caregiver to Joyce (“Sweetie”). Yes, he could be stubborn at times…but his witty sense of humor always won the day.

Don loved his work and taught his sons about how to work. He loved going out to lunch and poke fun at the wait staff hoping they would come back with a funny response. Don was also a listener. He gave his opinion to loved ones even if it wasn’t what they wanted to hear…. but needed to hear. He will be universally remembered as a very good man. He is dearly missed but leaves an incredible legacy behind in the lives he touched.

The family wants to thank Drew and Karen Liebe for all their care and dedication in caring for Joyce and Don throughout the years.

In Liew of flowers or gifts you can donate to the www.davidhellerfoundation.org . This foundation is dedicated to saving young athletes’ lives through heart screenings and donating portable defibrillators to high schools in the Pacific Northwest.

Please come to hear or tell stories and share memories at an informal
celebration of Don’s life to be held on March 8th, 2025, at 11:00am at:
St. Wenceslaus Church
Church Hall
51555 SW Old Portland Rd
Scappoose, OR 97056
There will be lunch afterwards with Don’s favorites…Hot Dogs, Pizza, and all the fixings.