Donald George Kracaw

Donald George Kracaw passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025, in Surprise, Arizona.

He was born on January 31, 1941, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Clair and Margaret Kracaw of Blackfoot, Idaho, where he lived most of his early life. He played football, baseball, and basketball at Blackfoot High School, graduating in 1959. Later, after bis father had a role in building a golf course in Blackfoot, he enjoyed golfing. He went to college for a few years at Idaho State University and Monterey Peninsula College. He came back home to Blackfoot where he joined his father in the family business, growing and shipping Russet Burbank potatoes. Clair Kracaw and Sons expanded to Buckskin Basin near Fort Hall, Idaho, and eventually to Winnemucca, Nevada, where the family grew, processed, shipped, and sold Kracaw’s Bakewell famous potatoes across the country.

Don married Sue Ann Evans from Blackfoot, Idaho, later having a son, Kent (KC), born in Pocatello, Idaho, in 1969; In 1971, they moved to Winnemucca, Nevada, where they had a daughter, Katie, born in Reno, Nevada, in 1972.

Don loved golfing, fishing, skiing, tying flies, making golf clubs and watching sports. He took many trips with his friends to Sun Valley, Idaho, golfing and skiing, after the harvest was over. The Salmon River fishing trips, where he caught steelhead, was one of his favorites along with the South Fork, the Rogue, and the Big Lost Rivers.

In 1988, Don was introduced to Terri Winder Demitropoulos from Idaho Falls, Idaho. They courted long distances for a year, then married in 1989, when Terri moved to Winnemucca, Nevada. They built a new home where Don helped raise Terri’s children, Bradley and Stephanie Demitropoulos. They had a little Yorke named Sophie, who was the apple of Don’s eye.

They enjoyed golfing and skiing trips with many friends and family. Skiing at Jackson Hole Wyoming, Grand Targhee Wyoming, and Sun Valley, Idaho was among his favorites. In 2000 Don and Terri built a home in Graeagle, California, as a second home, where they enjoyed fishing and golfing, with family and friends. When Don retired, they bought a home in Surprise, Arizona, to enjoy the winter months golfing.

Don was preceded in death by bis parents, Clair and Margaret, brother, Jerry, and sister Coralee Nakamura, brother-in-law Tack Nakamura and sister-in-law Dorothy Kracaw. He is survived by his wife Terri, son Kent (KC), daughter Katie, stepdaughter Stephanie (Brandon) Garcia, stepson Bradley (Stacy) Demitropoulos, granddaughters KaeLee Mullin, and Avery Demitropoulos, grandson, Caden Mullin, brothers-in-law Steven (Cleone) Winder, and Mike (Sandy) Winder, sisters-in-law Cheryl (Roger) Wilhelmsen, Renee (Brent) Taylor,

Gaylene (Chuck) Compagni, Tiffany Prescott, nephews Kurt (Cindy), Jim (Annie), and Scott Kracaw, Dan (Colette) Nakamura and Bob (Jennifer) Nakamura.

Don’s choice was to have no funeral service, but a celebration of life at a later date with family and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Winnemucca Ladies Golf Club for the Junior Golfer Program, in care of Gail Piquet, PO Box 9, Winnemucca, NV 89446, or St. Judes Hospital for Children.

The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to Rock Creek in the Park Memory Home in Surprise, Arizona, and staff, and United Hospice 8e Palliative Care of Arizona, LLC in Phoenix, AZ.