Donald Capp passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2018, at home in Estacada, Oregon. He was born May 15, 1943, to LaVern and Emma Capp of Summit, South Dakota. Don graduated from South Shore High School in 1961.
He started his mining career in Dakota Granite as a longhole driller. Don married Marilyn Rahn of Mankato, Minnesota, on Oct. 6, 1962, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in North Mankato, Minnesota. They made their home in Milbank, South Dakota, for the next 20 years. In 1980 they moved the family to Tooele, Utah. There Don worked for Anaconda Mines for two years until the mine closed. He next went to work for Lockheed at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, where he worked as an explosives handler and carpenter.
After nine years the mining industry called him back. In 1994, Don and Marilyn moved to Elko, Nevada. Mining was his true calling and Don received many accolades becoming a pillar of the mining industry. In May 2001, he set a world record for reverse circulation drilling, drilling 714 feet in 11 hours. Marilyn passed away in January 2011. In 2013, Don met and married Sharon Pierce and they made their home in Elko, Nevada, later moving to Estacada, Oregon. Among his greatest accomplishments were watching the grandchildren play soccer, ice fishing and teaching them everything from measure twice and cut once.
Don is survived by Sharon Estacada, Oregon; his children, Debbie Clarke of Lynnwood, Washington, and Mike (Brandy) of Tooele, Utah; grandchildren, Ryan of Elko, Nevada, Eric Clarke of Elko, Nevada, and Jessica Capp of California, Tyler of Kansas and Aubrey Conlin of Utah; great grandchildren, Markus, Melody, Maverik, Baily, and Jaxxon; three brothers, Harold of Watertown, South Dakota, Robert (Susan) of Milbank, South Dakota, and Ronald (Joyce) of Pipestone, Minnesota.
He is preceded in death by his first wife and his parents. Services will be held at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Elko, Nevada on Monday, April 23 at 1 p.m. Burial will be at Pilgrims Rest in Mankato, Minnesota, at a later date where he will be laid to rest with Marilyn, the love of his life.