Donald Allyn Wente Jr.
Aug. 8, 1957 – Dec. 23, 2024

Born August 8, 1957, in St. Louis, Missouri to Donald Allyn Wente Sr. and Rebecca Vise Tilinski, Don passed peacefully from his earthly life on December 23, 2024, in his home in Arcata, with two of his most beloved friends by his side.

Don grew up in St. Charles, Missouri and the neighboring towns of St. Peters and O’Fallon, Missouri. He spent the last two years of high school at McCluer High School in Ferguson, Missouri and graduated in 1975.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Rebecca and Fred Tilinski, St. Peters, Missouri, his sister Trisha Cox, Roswell, Georgia, and her three children: Austin (Erin), Ryan (Holly), and Chloe. Other remaining family are half-sister Karen (Scott) Lusch, his stepbrothers Bill (Glenda Lovell) Tilinski, Bob (Kim) Tilinski, Ed Tilinski, Brad (Vickie) Fugate and his stepsisters Ann (Scott) Howland, Judy Fugate, and Debbie (Martin) Grabanski. Eight cousins from the Wente family survive as well as his best friends in Missouri, Dave and Kathy Hoffman.

His surviving friends in Humboldt County who were like family include April and Gene Joyce, Riley Quarles and wife Kathy Statzer, Randy Klein and wife Mary Blair, Christy and Aldaron Laird, Alexandra Stillman, Karole Ely, Jaffa Duggan, Connie Stewart, and Kristine Long.

Don was preceded in death by his father, Donald Wente Sr., and his stepmother, Clare Malaway Wente.

Don had a normal childhood for a Midwesterner. His early years found him sensitive to the needs of others and ready to defend the underdog. His friends were very important to him. When baby sister Trisha came along, Don was excited to be an older brother. He wanted to be the caretaker and was quite disappointed when his sister developed a mind of her own. He loved to fish and was a good shot, sometimes bringing home small game which he always cleaned and prepped himself, never expecting anyone else to do it for him.

After graduating high school, he opted not to attend college, had temporary jobs, and ultimately decided to join the US Coast Guard, which took him to California. He trained at Alameda, and eventually was stationed at Eureka, about 115 miles south of the Oregon border. After completing his tour, he returned to Missouri for a while, but he missed the natural beauty of the North Coast, its bay, rivers, beaches, and mountains. He realized that he wanted to make his home in California. He drove to Humboldt County, spent time in Trinidad, and eventually went to work for Kelly and Thonson Printing Company in Arcata.

During his over 30 years as a mostly continuous resident of northern Humboldt County, Don Wente made his home primarily in Arcata, except for short durations when he resided in Trinidad, Eureka, and McKinleyville. He loved the Arcata community and environs, walking the trails at Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, hiking up in the Redwood Community Forest, and spending time with his friends, most of whom lived in Arcata. He did diverge from residing on the west coast around 2010/2011, when he decided to return to Missouri to spend time with family. He travelled to Georgia and Tennessee and stayed in O’Fallon and St. Peters before returning to Arcata. Except for occasional trips to Missouri, Arcata is where he lived for the remainder of his life.

It was a tradition in Don’s maternal grandfather’s family to have one’s own business and that was in Don’s makeup. Don excelled in a diversity of areas. His art form was graphics and sign painting, and he operated the business Pacific Lettering for years on the Northcoast, painting signs for local commercial venues and realtors. He was also skilled as an exterior and interior painter, in building and construction, and worked as an indie contractor in property upkeep undertaking a wide variety of tasks as an all-around repair-person on multiple levels. Don was also employed part-time, in the aughts, by Arcata Exchange Furnishings Store, Arcata Stay Lodging Network, and Stillman Properties.

Don could aptly be described as an avid outdoorsman who delighted in fishing, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, backpacking, birdwatching, biking, and spending time along rivers and beachcombing at the ocean. He also loved to play pool and listen to music, favoring the American singer-songwriter genre of artists such as Emmylou Harris, Iris De Ment, Bonnie Raitt, the Avett Brothers, and others. Don’s favorite song was “No Hard Feelings” by the Avett Brothers.

Don was typically a quiet individual who exhibited an enigmatic personality and could be inscrutable at times, preferring the outdoors to the indoors, quietude to cacophony, isolation to social interaction. However, he could be lured out of his reclusive tendencies by his close friends inviting him on a nature adventure, out to lunch with “the dudes” or to small social gatherings. Among his friends, though seldom loquacious, he would relax and enjoy himself. His most favorite things to do with a group were boating, backpacking, and camping. Don took pride in his personal appearance, keeping well-groomed and stylishly dressed, and he also kept his home and workspace tidy, organized, and nicely appointed. He enjoyed a good read and appreciated poetry. He was sweet-tempered and a kind and thoughtful friend.

Throughout his life, Don lived with a kidney condition, and he stoically accepted the reality that he would have to deal with compromised kidneys at some point in his life. His condition worsened in his 50s to the point that he made the decision to go on dialysis three days a week. Don was indefatigable in attending his Monday, Wednesday, and Friday dialysis sessions at the Eureka Dialysis Center. Over 10 years, he forged close relationships with his fellow dialysis patients and the staff who supported them. Don registered for a kidney transplant and was considered an ideal candidate, but sadly, a transplant never manifested for him, due to COVID complications and other circumstances.

Don became quietly contemplative near to his passing. He embarked upon a journey to evaluate his life and what he had experienced and accomplished, embraced how blessed he had been to have had precious time with friends and family who loved him and accepted him unconditionally, and treasured the joy imbued in him whenever he ventured out into the natural world. Don Wente left his life in a state of thankfulness and contentment. In the days prior to his passing, he expressed to precious family and friends words that were not easy for him to say, but that he needed them to know. Those words were “I love you.”

Don’s Arcata remembrance will occur at a private gathering in the spring of 2025.

In remembrance of Don, a memorial commemoration gift may be donated to Friends of the Arcata Marsh, online at their website arcatamarshfriends.org, or by mail to P.O. Box 410, Arcata, CA 95518. This non-profit is a steward to Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, a place near and dear to Don’s heart.

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