Donald "Don" L. Rathe

July 14, 1943 — August 5, 2026

Donald L. (“Don”) Rathe of Blaine passed away suddenly on August 5, 2026, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was 83. The youngest of three children of Erwin and Ruby (Bargary) Rathe, Don was born on July 14, 1943, in Seattle. He attended school in Bothell and graduated from Bothell High School in 1961.

After graduating from the University of Washington in 1965, Don married his sweetheart since the 8th grade, Mary Ellen Lounsbury, in 1966. They lived in Omaha, Nebraska, while Don attended dental school at Creighton University, and also in Peoria, Indiana, where Don served in the U.S. Air Force for two years.

In 1973 Don, Mary Ellen, and their daughters moved to Blaine, where Don started a dental practice that would serve people in the Blaine area for 38 years. He retired in 2011. Don will always be remembered by his family for his unwavering, unconditional love, his competitive nature, and his love of sports.

He was preceded in death by his parents Erwin and Ruby Rathe and his sister Mary (Ron) Schmaedick. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Ellen, his brother, Erwin “Bud” Rathe (Nancy), his daughters Michelle (William) Baldwin, Donna (Travis) Schoeben, Molly (Jennifer) Rathe, and grandchildren Charlie (Kelsie), Michael (fiancée Anny), Scott (girlfriend Evie) and Jack.

A vigil service will be held Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., followed by a funeral mass on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Both services will be offered by Father Albert Grasher and will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church, 604 H Street, Blaine, WA 98230.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Blaine Food Bank (www.blainefoodbank.org).

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