Obituary - Dan S. Crimmins

Dan Summerfield Crimmins, 101, Moscow

Dan S. Crimmins died Saturday March 10, 2012, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow. Dan was born Easter Sunday, March 27, 1910, in Huntington, Ore., to Flora Mack and John Crimmins. He attended grade school there. After his sister Ruth was killed in a motor accident, Dan resided with his grandparents and attended school in Hermiston for one year.

The family had moved to Milton-Freewater, Ore., where he excelled in sports for MacLaughlin High School. During this time he received his Eagle Scout Award in Boy Scouts. After graduation he went to school at Whitman College, where he pledged Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, which he supported the rest of his life. After two years of college, Dan attended Walla Walla Business School. He started working at the Ford garage in Milton-Freewater, then started a several-year career working for various Chevrolet dealerships in Coeur d'Alene, Chewelah, Davenport and Moscow.

On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1935, he married Roberta Donaldson in Palouse. They lived in Milton-Freewater until moving to Coeur d'Alene in 1936. Their daughter was born in 1937 in Coeur d'Alene.

In 1941, they made their move to Moscow. Dan joined the Moscow Lions Club in February 1942 and had been an active member since. Their son was born in 1945 in Moscow. In 1945, he was elected Moscow city treasurer. This is a position he held for the next 30 years, retiring in 1975. He belonged to the Elks and enjoyed golfing until 2004. He said he had outlived all of his golf partners.

Dan is survived by his daughter; son; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren. He is also survived by very special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Roberta, in 2003; his brother, Jack; his sisters, Ruth, Carroll and Meredith; and a granddaughter, Heather.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Short's Funeral Chapel in Moscow. Burial will be at the Moscow Cemetery and a reception will be at the University Inn following. The family suggests that memorials be made to the Moscow Special Olympics or to the Lions Club Scholarship Fund. Online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.com.

Lewiston Tribune, March 14, 2012, p. 2B
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock