Our loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully in his home on October 4, 2024. Don was a quiet, kind, and gentle man. The word that his family uses to describe him is “steady.” He went about his life fulfilling his responsibilities without many highs and lows.

Donald N. Hermansen was born in Ely, Nevada on August 21, 1930 to Nephi Hermansen and Hortense Margaret Jensen. He attended Ely schools and graduated from White Pine High School in 1949. Don was the youngest of seven children.

After high school, he opted for Voluntary Induction into the Army. He was trained in Camp Roberts, then sent to Korea and assigned as a radio operator. Upon returning, he moved to Ouray, Colorado and lived with his sister Barbara for a year, then moved to Ogden, Utah where his older brother, Phil was living. It was here that he learned the floor covering trade and did that most of his life.

After that, he moved to Salt Lake City, hoping to find a “rich” girl, which he did. But she wasn’t wealthy. Her name was Helen Reich, pronounced “rich.” They met in October of 1953 and were married on June 8, 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in Murray, Utah for five years, then built a home in Sandy and have lived there ever since. Don and Helen have nine children, forty-two grandchildren, sixty-three great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, which have brought so much joy to their lives.

In 1999, Don and Helen were called to serve a mission in Nauvoo, Illinois for a year, which they loved. Upon returning, they were called to serve as temple workers. They served six and a half years in the Jordan River Temple, and eight years in the Draper Temple.

Don had many hobbies, which included reading, writing stories, building model planes, doing puzzles, fixing things, painting, and collecting toy cars, coins, and belt buckles. He served faithfully in his many church callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He had a strong testimony of his Savior, Jesus Christ.

He outlived all of his family members before him. At the age of ninety, he was proud to tell everyone that no one in his family had lived beyond ninety. He then gave us four more years, passing away at the age of 94.

Don and Helen’s children are David (Cheryl), Dawn (Jim) Ashby, Debbie (Steve) Reiber, DeVal (Jodi), Brian (Debbie), Lorin (Crystal), Scott (Jennie, deceased) (Jessica), Janet (Mark) Whitelock, and Marla (Dave) Hansen.

We wish to thank all those who graciously gave of their time and talents to help Don and Helen in Don’s final weeks. Thank you family, friends, neighbors, Don’s Hospice nurse, and doctors and nurses. He was so grateful to all of you, and expressed that often.

There will be a viewing on Sunday, October 13, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Hillcrest 5th Ward Building, 915 E. 9045 So. in Sandy. There will be morning viewing, Monday, October 14, from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. in the same building.

To watch the service, please follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83638003311