Blaine L Donaldson

Blaine Lowell Donaldson was born on a farm 2 ½ miles southeast of Webb, IA on December 28, 1932, the third child of Floyd A. and Mayda M. (Hoppe) Donaldson. He attended Garfield-Webb Elementary, Junior High and High School, graduating in 1950. After graduation he attended Buena Vista College and Michigan State University's School of Professional Management, Later he specialized in Geriatric Management and spent his last 30 working years as a Chief Executive Officer in Health Care. Blaine also taught Health Care Management and Geriatrics for three years at Fort Dodge.Blaine and Dorothea Dilley were united in marriage on August 27, 1955 and they had 2 sons, Brent and Brian. Blaine was an avid baseball fan and enjoyed fishing and golfing.Blaine was active in many civic and fraternal organizations serving on the Iowa Development Commission Board (receiving the Governor's Award for Industrial Development in 1965), serving on the Board of the Waterloo Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Board of the Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Iowa Board of Health Care Examiners, the National Board of Health Care Examiners, chairing the Committee on Education and Examinations for three years, (receiving the Governor's Award for Meritorious Service to the Elderly in 1981), was founding Board member of the Iowa Association of Aging, serving as President of that Organization, was consultant to the Iowa Legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee and the Governor's Committee on Health Care. He also served on the Storm Lake City Council, chairing the Public Safety Committee and Utilities Committee, and also served Mayor Pro Tempore.In the late 1960's Blaine entered into an agreement with the Kresge Foundation to do an in depth study to determine the advantages of separation by mental and physical abilities of Long Term Care patients, which led to three major grants from the Foundation to build and remodel facilities to have a distinct separation by level of abilities. In 1977 he designed, and had built, the first Health Care Unit that was specifically created for Alzheimer patients.After retiring in 1990 Blaine and Dorothea moved to Sun City, Arizona where continued being active, serving on the Board of Sun Valley Lodge Retirement Community, Sun Health Hospitals, ( during 2001 he was awarded The Arizona Health Care Trustee of the Year and the National Health Care Trustee of the Year), he also served on the Arizona Governor's advisory board, was appointed to the licensing and certification Board for Physical and Occupational Therapist, was a member of the Board of the Sun City Homeowners Association, serving as President (Mayor) of the 43,000 member organization. Blaine also served on the West Maricopa County Board for 6 years. He also served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Arizona Silver Haired Legislature, and a Board member of the Arizona Golf Association.Returning to Iowa in 2004, he continued being active in area and state affairs, serving as the Speaker of the House of the Older Iowans Legislature during 2007, 2008, and 2009. Blaine also served on the Board and is the past Chairman of the Plymouth County Local Options Sales Tax and was the Vice Chairman of the Plymouth County Board of Adjustment. He also served on the Board of the Kingsley Economic Development Committee.In 2011 Blaine was honored by the State Senate of Iowa and the Iowa House of Representatives for his outstanding work in legislation for the benefit of Iowa citizens. U.S. Senator Charles Grassley recognized Blaine for his work on the national level to improve the lives of Senior Citizens.During 2012, Blaine was honored by Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad and Lt Governor Kim Reynolds for his many years of service to the citizens of Iowa.Blaine was active in the Republican Party for over 55 years and has held positions on the precinct, caucus, county and state level with the exception of the State Central Committee. In 2007, Blaine was awarded his 50 year membership in the Masonic Lodge of Iowa. He was a member of Jewel Lodge #309 in Kingsley.Blaine is survived by his wife, Dorothea; sons, Brent (Deb) Donaldson of Kingsley, and Brian (Laura) Donaldson of Sumner, IA; sisters, Beverly (Rod) Bovee of Okoboji, IA and Rhonda (Lee) Pape of West Union, IA; sisters-in-law, Beverly(Bob) Stewart of Spencer, IA and Kathleen (Harlan) Ebert of Red Oak, IA; grandchildren, Andy Dunn of Farrabut, IA, Mallory (Jessie)Van Gerven of Colombia, MO, Eric Donaldson of Omaha, NE, Laura Donaldson of Des Moines, IA, Amy Donaldson of Omaha, NE, Tyler and Clint Donaldson, both of Kingsley; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.Blaine is preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Darrel Donaldson.