Don was born in Detroit on March 12, 1947 to Raymond and Ruth (Balmes) Brehm, and lived in Dearborn. When he was 9yrs old his family moved to Gaylord. Their new home was across the road from Otsego Lake where they spent all their years there, enjoying the beauty and activities of Gaylord & it’s surrounding areas. Don always said “it was the best place ever to grow up!” He and his parents loved fishing, boating, hunting, visits and gatherings with family & friends from all over.
From 1967-1969 Don served in the Army as a helicopter door gunner for two tours of Vietnam (for which he received The Air Medal). When his service ended, his parents moved to California & Don followed them there upon his return to the U.S. In 1972 he met his wife Tricia in Anaheim CA, they were married a year later (they celebrated 48 years together in September 2021). For many of those years, Don worked as a tool clerk at PG&E’s nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon in central California (Tricia was an Operations Manager for a wire & metal components manufacturer). They lived there for 25 years until both retired in 2003 when they moved to AZ, but soon they missed the California coast and moved back to Oceanside in San Diego county, where they had been living and enjoying the coastal life, travel, camping, family & friends ever since.
Don passed away after a brief battle with cancer on Dec 29, 2021 at the VA hospital in La Jolla, Ca. Don was preceded in death by his parents Ray & Ruth Brehm, and brothers George Brehm & George Heiden. He is survived by his wife Tricia. Burial will be ashes at sea, late spring/early summer of 2022 in Oceanside, Ca.
