Donald E. Cashman
Donald E. Cashman
Donald E. Cashman, 77, passed away Dec. 18, 2006, at Mountain View Hospital after a long, hard battle with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
As it has been for the last 30 years, his wife Carmen was at his side, as were his daughters, Connie, Colleen, Michelle, son, Michael, and sister-in-law, Cindy Frye. Don was a devoted husband, a great father and grandfather, and a wonderful friend and mentor to many.
Don was born Nov. 24, 1929, in Muskegon, Michigan, to Lynferd and Amy Corrigan Cashman. He grew up there with his brother, Bob, until enlisting in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of the elite Honor Guard for General MacArthur in Japan, and was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries in Korea. Don was a life time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Purple Hearts Association and the General MacArthur Honor Guard Association.
Upon his discharge, Don returned to Michigan where he married Joan Morin, had three daughters, Connie, Kim and Colleen, and earned his business degree at Western University. They moved to the San Fernando Valley where Don worked in the aerospace industry.
After his daughters were grown, he divorced, earned his MBA, and moved to San Diego where he met and married Carmen Pippin while working at Rohr Industries. In 1980, Don accepted a position with Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco) in Saudi Arabia. Carmen and her children, Michael and Michelle, joined Don in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
After 10 years, Don and Carmen left Arabia and moved to Las Vegas. Don continued to work for Aramco as a consultant in San Francisco and Pasadena, Calif., until 1994.
After Don retired, the Cashmans continued traveling internationally and enjoyed friends and family. Countless people thought of Don as their best friend, and everyone adored him. He was charming, funny, intelligent, principled, generous and caring. Don loved life, his family, his many friends, his travels, reading, the San Francisco 49er's, good food and wine, "ovaltine", jazz, military history and his Irish heritage, but most of all he loved Carmen. Their friends think of them as a single word "DonAndCarmen".
In addition to Carmen, Don leaves behind his children, Connie (Jason) Siegel, Kim (Steve, deceased) Berry, Colleen (Mark) Kaner, and Michael and Michelle Pippin; and his grandchildren, Aubree Siegel, Spencer and Jessica Berry, Kristina, James and Katherine Kaner, and Katherine Pippin. He is also survived by his brother, Bob; and his nephews and nieces, Matthew, Christopher, Suzanne, and Kathleen, and their families. A celebration of his life will be held in late January. Donations in memory of Don can be made to the Disabled American Veterans.