Donald “Don” James Bedell dies at 84
Donald “Don” James Bedell, 84 of Paso Robles, California, passed away on Dec. 22, 2017.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Quail Run Estates Club House, 1400 Quail Run Avenue, Paso Robles on Jan. 20, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Don was born in Lone Pine, California on July 30, 1933. His family relocated to the Santa Ysabel Ranch in Paso Robles, CA in 1943. He graduated from Paso Robles High School in 1951 and continued on to receive a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Animal Husbandry from Cal Poly State University in 1955.
Don was married to Phyllis (Hord) Bedell on Aug. 14, 1953 in Paso Robles, CA. They were married for 64 years.
Don began his working career running a grain harvesting operation with his Dad, Orville Bedell. Don was a cattleman most of his life. He worked for Ernest and Dorothy Twisselman about 10 years where he started his own cow herd and his family, before he and Phyllis moved to Creston with their own cattle operation. Don and Phyllis loved square dancing and were members of the Paso Robles Grange and the Shandon Square Wheelers for many years. They enjoyed dancing to the square dancing calls of his father Orville. In 1968 Don returned to the Santa Ysabel Ranch in Paso Robles along with his young family and his cow/calf operation. Don worked with the American Angus Association on the early phases of the E.P.D. program, raising calves that were performance tested to determine performance traits of the sire bulls. From 1965-1969 he managed the Wolverton Pack Station in the Sequoia National Park during the summers. In 1974 he and Phyllis bought the Mineral King Pack Station in the Sequoia National Park which they operated for 25 years. Throughout his years as a Pack Station owner, Don was president and active on the board of the High Sierra Packers Association. He also represented the association on two trips to Washington DC. Don was Most Honored Packer at the Mule Days Celebration in Bishop California (2005), was an official judge for packing contests there, and had the World Champion Packing Team – Westside. Don dearly loved the Sierra Nevada Mountains, working with horses and mules, and running cattle.
Don is survived by his wife of 64 years Phyllis (Hord) Bedell, four children, Jeff Bedell and his wife Judy of Lindsay, CA, Kerry Bedell of Buttonwillow, CA, Robin Kovacs and her husband Steve of Paso Robles, CA and David Bedell and his wife Ann of Paso Robles, CA; three granddaughters, Chelsy Clark of San Diego, CA, Loryn Bedell of San Luis Obispo, CA and Kaitlyn Bedell of Fort Morgan, CO; seven grandsons, Will Bedell, Cass Kovacs, Ryan Bedell and Jacob Bedell of Paso Robles, CA, Dawson Clark of San Diego, CA, Shane Kovacs of Springdale, MT, and Kai Bedell of San Luis Obispo, CA. He is also survived by his sister Dixie Ahl and her husband Bob of Paso Robles, CA, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Don is preceded in death by his parents Orville James Bedell and Eutice (Muelker) Bedell and his sister Rosemary Couchman.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Don’s name to:
The Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or
The Alzheimer’s Association, 3232 S. Higuera St. Ste. #101a, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
The family of Don Bedell wishes to thank the staff at Danish Care Center for their amazing care and compassion during his stay at their facility.
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