Donald Weiand Jr.

Donald N. Weiand Jr., 54, passed away Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007 at the North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

Don was born on Ground Hog Day, Feb. 2, 1953 to Helen and Donald Weiand in Whitefish.

He graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 1971. Don worked for B & B food stores before he went to work for Stoltze Lumber Company. He retired in 1998 due to health reasons.

Don was a child of the 70's. He was known to his family and friends as "Hippie Don." He was also known as "The Whiz" because of his fascination with wizards. His favorite holiday was Halloween. He loved to interact with all the children. Every year the kids would return to his home because of the good time provided by Wizard Don.

He loved to camp at Big Creek, go hunting and fishing, and driving around the North Fork.

He was preceded in death by his father, Don Sr.

Don is survived by his mother, Helen Weiand Brinkerhoff; brother, Randy Weiand; sister, Darlene Herman and her husband, Henry; two nephews, Wade Herman, and Guy Herman and his wife, Michelle; two great-nieces, Brittney and Jade Herman; his best buddy, Beau, his dog, all of Columbia Falls; double-cousins, Steve Weiand and wife, Lynda of Nashville, Tenn., Chris Weiand of Columbia Falls, Coletta Calnan of Kalispell and Sheri Gibson of Helena; and many other relatives and friends.

A rosary was held Tuesday, Dec. 18 at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.

A funeral mass was celebrated Wednesday, Dec. 19 at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. Rev. John Miller officiated. Burial followed at St. Richard's Catholic Cemetery.