For Donald Riley of Tarkio, March 1st was a day of celebration. Not only did Don receive a Quilt of Valor that day recognizing his years of service to our great country, but he also celebrated his 90th birthday. It’s been quite a ride!

Born during a blizzard on March 1, 1934, Don lived with his family on the Logan Farm 10 miles east of Tarkio in a tenant house. At the time of his birth, he had two older sisters, but the family would eventually grow to 12 children.

The family lived a farm life, moving to different farms east of Tarkio to work the land. Donald became a farmer at a young age, tending to and handling the mules while he and his sisters shucked corn by hand. The kids walked to school, first to Morning Star and then to London School. The family had Farmall tractors and that was the first tractor on which Don learned to drive. They had a homemade road drag and Don would go out and smooth the roads around his house as a very young boy. Don was a farmer inside and out, wearing overalls and going from lace-up boots to engineer boots, and then to cowboy boots.

By 18 1/2, Don and some friends had headed out in Don’s five-passenger, shiny black 1941 Chevy to Montana to work on ranches. He drove a Ford tractor mowing and raking and they stayed in the bunkhouse. He loved it! But one day it came to an end when he received notice that Uncle Sam’s draft board had come calling.

However, Don’s service didn’t begin right away. Back in Missouri, he went to Kansas City, but it was discovered that his blood pressure was too low. He was sent home with the knowledge that once he was better, they’d come calling again. He went to Kansas to work, then went back to farming, and then decided he wanted to go to California. The Golden State found Don making rivets for Douglas aircraft. For the farm boy, this was not something he enjoyed doing, so he saved up enough to trade in his car and bought a new 1953 Chevy and came home. He was eventually called up February 6, 1957. He went to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri for basic and then went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he received artillery training and training on howitzers. He was eventually sent overseas to Dachau, Germany. Following his service there, he returned back to the states and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. He then served four years in the Army Reserves before he was honorably discharged.

Back in the states, Don’s brother convinced him to go a blind date with his fiancée’s roommate. With Don driving his new 1959 gold and white Ford, he met his little sunflower Connie. Don said he instantly fell in love and this past December 27, the couple celebrated 64 years of marriage (they experienced a blizzard on their wedding, too).

Following the ceremony, the couple came home to Don’s family, where he went back to farming and lived on Ranch 9 in a tenant house. Later, Don farmed for John Curry for 19 years and quit at the age of 65 years. But he didn’t stop farming. They moved to Tarkio to the Herb Koch place (where they have lived for 26 years). There, Don could have his cow horse and his grandson’s pony. They’ve made it their home and they have loved it there. Once they moved to town, Don began helping Darwin Houghton farm. Don hauled beans for 15 years before finally retiring at the age of 80. Don has fond memories of the Houghtons and joked that Darwin’s mom, Georgia, gave him cash to buy a comfy chair that he still has in his living room. Georgia also helped him receive an honorary high school diploma since his father kept him out of high school to help on the farm.

When asked what the secret was to living a long life, Don said that he was not a big drinker and he quit smoking. Life hasn’t always been easy. Don and Connie had three children, but lost both of their boys. Don also contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized. Don remarked that as he lay in the hospital bed, he truly thought his time had come, but then the Footprints poem came to mind. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me. The Lord replied, ‘My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.’ It was at this moment that Don prayed for the Lord to carry him. And carry him He did, not only through his recovery from COVID, but he carries him still through his current battle with cancer (which he’s fought for two years now).

God and his family have carried Don through the hard times and walked beside him during the good. Don said he never imagined living to 90. Many family members died at young ages. But from his children, Don and Connie now have five grandkids and four great-grandkids. They enrich their lives, making Don’s 90 years even more enjoyable.