of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Cadillac, MI, age 92, died peacefully on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at his home. He was born February 21, 1931 in Cadillac, MI, the son of Alfred C. & Mary Belle (Lanning) Lamphere.
Don graduated from Cadillac High School in 1948. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1952-54. Don attended Central Michigan College, where he obtained his Bachelors (1958) and Masters degrees (1962). He was a teacher and Principal at Suttons Bay and Cadillac Area Schools. Don was an active member of Temple Hill Baptist church in Cadillac, where he served as Sunday School Superintendent and teacher, deacon, mission boards, building committee, and as a pastor of a mission church. Since 2017, he attended Chelsea Church of the Nazarene. He was also involved in Gideons International for more than 40 years. Don and Hilma enjoyed wintering in Mercedes, TX from 1991 to 2015.
On February 2, 1951, he married Hilma Eleanor Finstrom in Cadillac and she survives. Other survivors include three daughters, Bobbi Moomey of Cadillac, Peggi (Tim) Bontekoe of Orlando, FL, Ginni (Mike) O'Quinn of Chelsea; one son, Kedon (Joy) Lamphere of Muskegon; two sisters, Beverly Thomsen, Yvonne (Jay) Thiebaut; 11 grandchildren, Stephen (Hillary), Nathanael, Samuel (Hannah), Gabriel; Sima; Elya (Aaron), Veronika, K.Izaak; Sean (Jade), Ryan (Natasha), Karissa (Ben); 2 step-granddaughters, Samantha, Jennifer; 11 great-grandchildren; a step-great-great-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Marjorie Taylor-LaRoche, Wilma McIntyre, Janet Mackey, Judy Geeseman; his brothers, Robert Lamphere and Gordon Lamphere; and a granddaughter-in-law, Donelle Butler.
Don's memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, 11:00 am at the Chelsea Church of the Nazarene, 12126 Jackson Rd, Dexter, MI 48130, with Rev. Jeff Crowder officiating. The family greeted people from 10-11 am on the day of the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251 or CRU, PO Box 628222, Orlando, FL 32862-8222 (account #0257347 in memo). Arrangements were entrusted to Cole Funeral Chapel, Chelsea.
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