Donald Hitshew

Donald "Don" Hitshew passed away on September 29, 2010 at the Casper Medical Center at the age of 72. Donald was born to Frances & Leonard Hitshew on September 24, 1938 in Casper, Wyoming. As he grew up his parents moved around the state drilling water wells for rangers and later worked for the seismograph crews for Amoco drilling test holes. His father was from the Douglas area and they lived there when Don was in grade school. Don and his two brothers moved with their parents to Lander in 1952 where he started the eighth grade and graduated from high school in 1957.


In 1958 he married Deanna (Gustin) Hitshew. They had two sons Bart and Monty. He worked for his dad for two years working in Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. Don worked for Archie Clay Construction from 1960 – 1966. His next job was working for Rissler & McMurray working on road construction for 16 years. In 1974 he bought a welding truck and started welding in the Lander, Ft. Washakie and Beaver Creek Fields. This led him to his new business of Sinks Canyon Welding and Oil Field Services. He expanded into the oilfield services which needed roustabout crews, backhoe services and road work done. His two sons Bart and Monty worked side by side with their dad helping to run the different parts of the business. In 1981 when the oil field shut down, he had to go in a different direction thus, Sinks Canyon Sand and Gravel was established and Sinks Canyon, Inc. was formed. He owned this operation until 2000 when he semi-retired because of health reasons.   He has since turned this company over to his son Bart to run. He retired in 2004 but still helped Bart out in a pinch.

Donald is survived by his wife Deanna of 52 years, his son Bart and his wife Tami, three granddaughters, Cori, Chelsie and Jordan, two brothers, Melvin Hitshew and Claude Hitshew and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his mother and father and his son, Monty.

Memorial Services for Don will be held Monday, October 4 ^th at 10:00 a.m. at Lander Community Center, 950 Buena Vista, Lander. Memorials can be mailed directly to the Wyoming Life Flight by sending it to Wyoming Medical Center Foundation attn Wyoming Life Flight, 1233 E. Second St, Casper, Wyoming 82601 or call 307-577-2914.