Donald Dean Edmonston, age 93, was born on September 8, 1931 on his parent's farm north of Protection, Kansas. He was a lifelong resident of the communities within Clark, Comanche, and Kiowa counties — Ashland, Protection, Coldwater and Greensburg, where his farming activities were. He passed away on January 28, 2025.

He attended a rural school until graduating from Protection High School in 1949 maintaining perfect attendance his entire schooling.

He farmed until 1954, when he entered the US Army infantry. His unit was the first to relieve "the big red one,"   the US Army's First Division elements who had been on occupation duty in Germany since the end of the war.

When he went to Germany he took a rope with him and he would do rope tricks on the troopship for entertaining the other soldiers. He could swing that rope out  there and pop a deck of cards out of somebody's hand at a distance or even a cigarette out of their mouth and never hit them. He served two years, then returned home where he farmed and ranched all his life.

He passed away doing what he loved to do. Right up to the very moment that God called him, he was doing his best in fulfilling his duties to his livestock.

Don enjoyed rodeos, western movies and sharing stories with family and friends. He never met a stranger because he could talk to anyone and knew everyone in the community.

He was preceded by his parents Harold and Helen Edmonston, his sister Melba Swanson and her husband Kenneth, and his brother Myron Edmonston.

He is survived by his longtime companion Floretta Wood of Ashland; his son Mark Edmonston and daughter-in-law Linda of Sacramento, California, and three grandchildren: Amber Edmonston of Orangevale, California, Alexander Edmonston, assigned to the US Navy's 7th Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan, and Audrey Edmonston, US Navy, deployed with the Second Battalion, 23rd Marines, at 29 Palms, California; sister-in-law Susan Edmonston of Protection, and many other relatives and friends.

Viewing and visitation for family and friends will be on Friday, February 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, 206 Philadelphia, Coldwater, Kansas 67029.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 8, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 100 South Broadway in Protection, with Pastor Kris Logsdon presiding, followed by graveside service at Protection Cemetery with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to EMS, Fire or Sheriff Departments in the counties of Kiowa, Comanche, and Clark, sent to Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, PO Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.