Don Earl Marietta

Don Earl Marietta, 82, of Bentonville, Ark. passed away, July 8, 2015 in Bentonville. He was born on January 1, 1933 and was the first baby born in Colby, Kansas that year. He grew up on a farm during the post-depression years, helping his family harvest wheat and driving it to market at the early age of 11. Soon after, his family moved to Southern California for a better life but returned to Colby and the farming-life. As a young adult, Don worked on oil rigs making more money than his family could ever imagine. After several injuries, he decided to join the Air Force at the age of 20, and became an airplane mechanic in the Korean War. After returning from war, he began a 30 year career with IBM in California, retiring in 1991. Don moved with his wife, Jerre, to Bella Vista, Arkansas where they became real estate agents for Coldwell Banker. Don loved sports. He watched, talked, thought about and played sports as often as he could. His memory of sports-facts was mind-boggling! He lettered in both track and football in high school but soon became a life-long golf enthusiast. In Bella Vista, he was a member of the MGA and loved to play practical jokes on his partners as often as possible. Don loved to play snooker at Riordan Hall with the guys and was an active bowler, playing a couple of times a week with Jerre and the regular gang. Don had four children with his first wife, Marian. His boys were born in Clovis, New Mexico and his twin girls were born in Brush, Colorado. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Alma Grace and John Emmet Marietta and his brother, Carl. He is survived by his sisters, Marcia, Ethel and Deanna and his children, Alan, Dale, Susan and Carol. He is also survived by his extended family, Hershel and Stephanie Blevins and their children, Harrison, Hanna, Christina and Natalie who knew him as GranDon. Memorial services will be at 3 p.m., Saturday, July 11, 2015 at Stockdale-Moody Funeral Chapel in Rogers with military honors provided by the American Legion Post #100, Northwest Arkansas Honor Guard. Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services of Rogers. Memories may be shared at stockdalefuneral.com.