༺✿✿✿༻ LOVING MEMORY ༺✿✿✿༻

Howard Donald "Don" Edgren

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February 4, 1928 - December 8, 2022

Howard Donald Edgren, age 94, from Sandy, Oregon, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his loved ones on December 8, 2022. Don was born on February 4, 1928, to Carl and Violet Edgren in Chicago, Illinois. Don grew up in Chicago. He attended St. Peter Lutheran Elementary School and Hirsch High School in Chicago, graduating in 1947.

Don was a terrific athlete, he loved to play basketball, baseball and talk of the times his pitching performance was written about in the Chicago Tribune. Don was also a huge Cubbies fan and was thrilled when his team finally won the World Series Championship in 2016 – the first Cubs championship of his lifetime. Shortly after graduating high school, Don was drafted into the Army where he served in active duty from 1950-1952 during the Korean War. He started out as a clerk for his superior officer and due to his skills in clerical work and typing, was spared from combat. He was later moved to Alaska, where he served at the motor pool. Don was honorably discharged from the Army in 1952 with the rank of Corporal.

He then attended Chicago School of Watchmaking where he studied Horology (the study and art of making clocks and watches). After completing his studies, he worked for the watchmaking school for a time and then moved to Sheridan, Wyoming where he worked for Jorgenson's Jewelers.

It was in Sheridan that he met Shirley Cool, his sweetheart and the love of his life. It was 1956 when he saw her at the roller-skating rink, asked her to skate and they were married the following year. In total Don and Shirley raised 7 children (5 girls and 2 boys). They eventually moved back to Chicago, had a house built in Oaklawn and lived there until 1973, when they moved out to Sandy, Oregon. This is where Don and Shirley spent the remaining 49 years of Don's life. They opened a Jewelry store in Portland, Oregon, but then later moved their store to Sandy, and finally Don worked for Ben Bridge Jewelers from the early 1980's – 1996, when Don retired. Though as many who knew him would attest, he was a watchmaker until the last year or so of his life, fixing watches and clocks that no one else could fix. Though Don was a watchmaker by trade, his true mission and purpose was that the people in his life would hear about and hopefully come to know and love Jesus Christ - his friend, Lord and Savior. He was a true evangelist and shepherd, always giving people books on Heaven and talking and singing about his Jesus. His church and church family were also very important to him. But probably the thing he was most proud of was his family, and they were without a doubt the most important people in his life. Don had 7 children, 19 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

Don is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Shirley Edgren, his children Kathy Mauerhof, Linda Buzo, Donna Grable, Laura Hopper, Andrew Edgren, Howard Edgren, Sandra Kassing, 18 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild - most who reside within an hour or so of Sandy, Oregon. Don was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, neighbor and friend. He will be missed by all who knew him.

There was an intimate family gathering at the Sandy Funeral Home followed by a burial service at Cliffside Cemetery in Sandy that took place on December 16, 2022.

From the Sandy Funeral Home of Sandy, Oregon website.