Donald M. Podobnik

Donald M. Podobnik, “Don,” passed away peacefully on February 02, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska with his wife, Lois, by his side.

Don was a native of Anaconda, MT and was born to Della and Frank Podobnik on February 22, 1943.  He was the youngest of seven children in the family with four Kelly half-brothers (Orville, Roy, Rae, Robert), a half-sister (Elizabeth Podobnik) and a full brother (Frank Podobnik), who all preceded him in death.  Don graduated from Anaconda High School in 1961 and was a proud member of the Copperheads football team.  He graduated from the Montana School of Mines in 1965 with a BS in Metallurgical Engineering, and two years later, in 1967, from Montana Tech with an MS in Mineral Dressing Engineering.  While an undergraduate at School of Mines, he worked weekends at the Anaconda smelter in the metallurgical lab to earn money for college.  While completing his MS, he was twice awarded the distinguished D.W. McGlashen Research Fellowship. He later in 1971 completed a Master of Engineering in Mineral Engineering Management from Penn State University as a teaching fellow.

Mr. Podobnik had over 35 years of overseas experience in more than twenty-nine countries in operations and process development, including feasibility studies and pilot plant programs.  His background includes the world-class Southern Peru Copper Corporation’s Cuajone and Toquepala operating units, where he advanced to become manager of the Cuajone unit.  At Ok Tedi Mining Limited in Papua New Guinea, he oversaw the conversion from the world’s largest gold producer to an 80,000 metric ton per day copper and gold operation.

During his time at Tech Don met and married Judith Eleanor Hayes.  She accompanied him for many years overseas during his years of operations, and she spent that time teaching in Peru and doing social work in the U.S.  They have three children, who survive them: Dr. Bruce, a sociologist and college professor at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR; Kimberly McCarl (Todd McCarl), the Communications and Government Affairs officer for Contra Costa Health Services in Concord, CA; and Kerri, (Tylor Hartwell), the Finance Director for mortgage portfolios at Barclay’s in London.  They also have two grandchildren: Connor and Jade (Kim & Todd) and great grandson, Logan (Jade & Vince Collins).

While in southern Peru Don quickly became a major organizer of community parties, including Halloween Haunted Houses, and frequent pig roasts in a pit in his backyard.  The parties always included endless hours of music recorded to his reel-to-reel tape deck from hundreds of records that he brought to Peru from the states.  Music continued to be a major hobby and source of enjoyment for Don throughout his life.  At the time of his death he had a collection of over 600 CD’s and an iPod playlist of over 3500 songs.

After 38 years of marriage in 2004, Judy died suddenly, breaking Don’s heart.  Five years later he went online and met Dr. Lois Veath, who had been widowed after 39 years of marriage and had a broken heart too. They both knew what it was like to lose the first great loves of their lives, and they quickly became each other’s “Second Act.” Don and Lois discovered a new love that brought companionship, laughter, music and dancing, fly-fishing and camping in the mountains, good food and good wine, Packers football, and travel or fishing on Don’s jon boat, “Dances with Trout.”  In 2011 after Lois’s retirement from Chadron State College, they married in the foothills of Golden, CO at sunset overlooking the city lights of Denver with their six children officiating at the ceremony.  Don gained three “bonus” children: Jisella, senior executive for in-home senior healthcare in Omaha NE; Logan, a family dentist and implant specialist in Harlan, IA; and Blake (Angela Martin), a retired Marine Lt. Col. now instructional designer for the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs.  During his eleven-year marriage to Lois, they became grandparents to six grandchildren and a great grandson:  Amelia (Jisella); Warren and Calvin (Logan); and Ethan, Cora and David (Blake & Angela), and great grandparents to Logan (Jade & Vince).

Later, Don, known as “Pop” to his children and grands, suffered from frontal lobe degeneration. While he would forget certain moments and conversations, he never forgot his family. He fondly remembered each of his children and grandchildren and all his many cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and dear friends. Even at the very end, he was up for a glass of wine, some black licorice, a Packers game, and a funny story that caused him to belly laugh, all while thinking he was still living in Peru!  Don and Lois were grateful for the companionship and love they had during their Second Act, the very best last chapter filled with dignity and choice and compassion and love.

A graveside service for Donald will be held on Monday, June 26, 2023 at Mount Olivet Cemetery, W. 5th St., Anaconda, MT, at 2 p.m. A luncheon will follow the graveside service at O’Bella!  Restaurant, 1515 E. Commercial St., Anaconda, MT.

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Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been privileged to assist with Donald's services.