Keizer, Ore. resident, Donald J. Oman (age 80), after a long battle with cancer, went to be with our Lord and Savior on March 31, 2024.
Born in Brush, Colo. on July 28,1943, to Donald L. Oman and Jennie A. (Asthmus) Oman, Don grew up on the Oman family homestead in Tulelake, Calif. He was a farmer, a farm equipment and irrigation broker, and as a young man, a certified deep sea diver and underwater welder.
Don was always active in restoring antique cars and hot rods; he and his wife attended many car shows with his award winning 1932 Ford Coupe. He could fix just about anything and was very innovative, particularly with tools and machines to make farming more efficient.
Don was also active in church and traveled to Belize and Mexico on mission trips in his younger years. He was involved with the B-17 Alliance Foundation in Salem, in honor of his father’s service in the U.S. Air Force as a B-17 crew chief and mechanic.
To formalize their commitment of many years, Don married Knikki Lou Oman on August 17, 2003, near Kotzebue, AK. Throughout the years, Don and Knikki traveled to Kotzebue to visit sister-in-law, LaVonne Hendricks, at her fish camp. There he helped build and repair structures where people would come to learn about the local Inupiat culture.
Don is preceded in death by his parents, Don and Jennie Oman and two of his brothers, Dennis Oman and Lee Oman.
Don is survived by wife, Knikki Lou Oman; younger brother, John Oman, daughter (from 1st marriage) and son-in-law, Shawn and Karl Shreeves and granddaughter, Keira; son (from 1st marriage) and daughter-in-law, Jamie and Amber Oman and grandkids, Olivia, Rory and Lukas; stepson, Terry Howard and granddaughter, Stephanie; stepdaughter and stepson-in-law, Shamika and Scott Cleveland and grandkids, Malia and Tyler.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Keizer Community Church (380 Churchdale Ave), May 25, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the B-17 Alliance Foundation in Salem, OR at their website: www.b17alliance.com.
Contact Keizertimes Staff:
[email protected] or 503-390-1051
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