Donald Earl Badgley, aka: Badger, passed away on October 26, 2021, after a lengthy battle with cancer and heart disease. Badger was born February 23, 1932, in McCleary, Washington. He moved to the Hoopa Indian Reservation in the early 1950’s where he met the love of his life, Louise “Gettz” Badgley. Badger was the sole provider for Gettz, her mother, Louisa and children Edgar “Goose,” Polly and Carol. Badger’s children Kim and Mark Badgley, and stepdaughter Sherry, stayed behind in Washington but he maintained a relationship with them from a distance. Most recently, Kim resided with Badger to help care for him.

Badger received his initiation into logging when his brother-in-law, Pete Jackson, gave him his first job as a hook tender. Badger showed up on the landing, his first day, wearing slacks and dress boots. From then on, his crew teased him by asking him if he was going to a dance or working in the woods. His career in the woods did not come without misfortune. Early in his career, Badger escaped death when a large log rolled over his entire body. After several months of rehabilitation, Badger decided he would prefer to drive truck instead of buck logs. Eventually, he became an excellent, long-time log truck driver. He and his wife were the owner/operator of Louise Badgley Trucking. Friends and family knew Badger as the “hardest working, dirtiest truck driver” there was. He would return home at the end of each day covered in dirt. Badger’s loving wife was sure to remind him that is was her name on the log truck door and not to forget it. For a short time, Badger had a passenger in his truck, Kitty Kenworth. She was a black cat that loved riding with him.

Badger was stationed in the Navy as a young man. It is unknown, by the family, how long he served or where he was deployed.

Badger was an avid Forty Niner fan, and rooted for the Seattle Seahawks occasionally. He loved gambling and he and Gettz often played in casinos. Their favorite place to visit was Reno. Badger spent a good amount of time in the Hoopa Casino and if you saw him, he always had a toothpick in his mouth. Badger had a huge heart and would help anyone in need.

Badger is preceded in death by: Louise “Gettz” Badgley, loving wife; Louise Jackson, mother-in-law; Ned Jackson, father-in-law; brother’s-in-law, James Jackson, Peter Jackson; sister’s-in-law, Charlotte Colegrove, Minnie McWilliams; son, Edgar Norton Jr., granddaughter, Natalie Norton Wright.

Badger is survived by his children; Polly and Tom Van Bergen, Carol Courtney, Kim Badgley, Mark Badgley and Sherry Roberts. He has several grandchildren that adored him, Nanette, Ke’nes, Karl, Alan, Pete, Autes, David Cheyenne, Cassaundra and John. Great grandchildren, Phylecia, Duane, Sage, Kyle, Carli, Mugsie, Omar, Valentina, Minnie, Kaylee, Cash and Arianna. Badger had many more friends, family and loved ones.

Graveside service is scheduled for December 11, 2021, at 11 a.m. at Brown’s Family Cemetery on Pine Creek Road, Hoopa. A celebration of life is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. until 3 p.m., the same day, at the Tswenaldin Inn conference room. Please bring a potluck dish to share.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Don Badgley’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.