Donald Dean Trunkey JUNE 23, 1955 ~ MAY 1, 2019 (AGE 63) by English Funeral Chapel

Donald Dean Trunkey, M.D., 81

Donald Dean Trunkey passed away peacefully with his loved ones by his side on May 1, 2019, in Post Falls, Idaho. He was born on June 23, 1937, in Oakesdale, Wash., to John Douglas and Rebecca Nelson Trunkey. The family moved to St. John, Wash., where Don grew up and graduated from St. John High School in 1955 as valedictorian. He attended what was then Washington State College and received a degree in zoology, which made him the last person to have graduated from WSC before it officially became Washington State University. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega.

Don and Jane Trunkey were married in Colfax, Wash., on Sept. 26, 1958. After graduation, Don went on to the University of Washington, where he received his doctorate of medicine degree. He did a rotating internship in Portland, Ore., at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).

Don later served within the U.S. Army with the 4th Armored Division 2nd Calvary, in Bamberg, Germany, in the dispensary for two years. While there, their son, Robert Derek was born in Nuremberg, Germany; followed four years later by their daughter, Kristina “Kristi” Jo, born in San Francisco, Calif.

Don had a stellar career as a trauma surgeon — first through his residency in San Francisco, then becoming chairman of surgery at San Francisco General Hospital. Also a professor emeritus of surgery at the Oregon Health Science University, Don was presented the WSU Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of his influential career and contributions to medical education, surgical methods and trauma care.

While in Portland, he also served as the head of the 50th General Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia within Desert Storm.

Don often volunteered in Landstuhl, Germany. While there, Col. Trunkey and Col. Daniel Cavanaugh flew Lieutenant General John. J. Yeosock to Germany for an operation. When they returned a few days later, Lt. General John J. Yeosock began the ground war. The order was given by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. Commander-in-Chief. Col. Trunkey was given a Bronze Star for his service.

Don is survived by his wife, Jane Mary Trunkey; son, R. Derek (Kristen Hammond) Trunkey and daughter, Kristi Trunkey. He is also survived by his sister, Sandie Trunkey and his grandchildren, Ethan, Nathan, Mason, Hayden, Hayley and Harrison. Don was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Jay, Gary, David Roger and K.B.

A memorial service for Don will be held at a later date.

In lieu of donations, please send to Trunkey Family Scholarship, S.J.E. School Foundation. PO Box 411, St. John, WA. 99171 or the St. John Heritage Museum, PO Box 315, St. John, WA 91711.

The family also asks for donations to be made in honor of Don to the College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Fund or the College of Education Scholarship Fund at Washington State University, located at: https://foundation.wsu.edu/give/. Checks should be made payable to the Washington State University Foundation and mailed to the Washington State University Foundation at PO Box 641925, Pullman, WA 99164-1925. Please designate on the check ”in honor of Don Trunkey, College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Fund” OR ”the College of Education Scholarship Fund.”

Don Trunkey 1937-2019

Don Trunkey
1937 Born Oakesdale, Washington
1946 First Operation, Castration of pig
1955 Saint John HS
1958 Married Jane Henry
1959 Washing State College BS in Zoology, Also played basketball
1963 University of Washington MD
1964 Oregon Health Sciences University internship
1964 Drafted US Army, Nuernberg Germany
1966 University of California San Francisco, Residency
1971 Parkland Trauma Service, Trauma Fellowship
1972 University of California San Francisco, San Francisco General, Faculty
1978 University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, General Chief of Surgery
1985 Joined US Army Reserve
1986 Oregon Health Sciences University Chief of Surgery
1991 Desert Storm 50th General Hospital and After Action
2001 Oregon Health Sciences University Professor Emeritus
2006 Rotations to Landsthul Germany to relieve Army surgeons so they could visit home
2018 Moved to Idaho

Not commonly known about Don:
As a teenager Don shot squirrels for farmers and was paid 5 cents per tail. 22 ammo cost 2 cents so he became a good shot.
In High School he worked at a machine shop welding farm equipment and as a projectionist where he often fell asleep and had to be woken to change the reels.
He met my mom by repeatedly breaking his nose in HS sports which was set by Jane’s father. They also saw each other when St. John played Colfax in basketball and at barn dances.
He worked in mines in Montana during the summer in college to make money. He saw his first death on the first day of the job after a minor cave in.
He caught the biggest trout of his life fly fishing in New Zealand (about 24 inches).
He was an excellent cook.
His mom played college tennis and was 5’11”. Her family goes back to the Mayflower.
His 5th time great grandfather fought in the French artillery at Yorktown and deserted rather than go back to France.
He made his own wine with cousins and doctors and won a silver metal in the Oregon State Fair for Piot Noir (a competitive category)
He was in Tiananmen square the night before the 1989 incident talking to the protesters.
He also did historical research of surgery including Presidential assassinations and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trunkey
https://dontrunkey.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVN0laPGF24
https://kingfaisalprize.org/professor-donald-d-trunkey/
https://www.ohsu.edu/…/surgery/about/donald-trunkey-lecture…
http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv64010
https://sfgh.surgery.ucsf.edu/…/234…/history%20of%20sfgh.pdf

50th General Hospital, by Dr. Tom Hutchinson, COL USA (Ret)

As the Commander of the 50th General hospital during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1991), I got to know Col. Don Trunkey pretty well.  He was our Chief of Professional Services and was always busy keeping the medical/surgical side of things on a straight and narrow path.  He presided over our M and M (Morbidity and Mortality) Conferences, and tolerated no nonsense in professional performance or behavior.  This was accomplished in the company of a splendid sense of humor.

When LTG Yeosock, our 3rd Army Commander, developed a gallbladder infection and needed surgery, I asked Don to manage the situation as I knew if I were to get involved, I would end up as a middleman which would create a problem-prone situation, not to mention adding unnecessary delays .  Don met with GEN Schwarzkopf (the Central Command Commander-and LTG Yeosock’s boss) to advise him how medical treatment for LTG Yeosock could be managed; and a decision was made to evacuate the general from the theater of operations and have him treated in Germany. Don and Col. Dan Cavanaugh, one of our General Surgeons, went to Germany with their patient, and performed the surgery.  A quick recovery and return to duty followed; setting the stage for the initiation of the Allied ground offensive.

As one of the nation’s leading trauma surgeons, Don was always an advocate for documenting wound management and preserving this data for analysis; so that any information that could be identified as ‘lessons learned’ would be on record.  He was particularly interested in seeing that this was done during Operation Desert Storm.

I remember sitting down with Don at Fort Lewis as we were being out-processed for discharge from active duty, and together working on a large stack of Officer Efficiency Reports which were due at that time.  Misery does love company.

Don was recognized by the AMEDD (Army Medical Department) for his distinguished career and his contribution to military medicine by induction into the Order of Military Merit.  Recognition he justly warranted.

After the first Gulf War, Don joined with us in the 50th General hospital Association.  In spite of the considerable distance between Seattle and Portland he and Jane were able to make several of our reunions, and enjoyed seeing old friends and visiting the Fort Lewis area.

Tom Hutchinson, MD,

COL, USA (RET)

Orthopedic Surgeon