Donald Edwin Fernquest

March 27, 1929 - May 16, 2020

Donald “Don” Fernquest passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at the Palo Alto VA hospital, at the age of 91. A loving husband, father, brother, and son, he lived a long, full life and was greatly admired by those who knew him.

Born in San Francisco in 1929, Don’s childhood in the foggy sand dunes of the Outer Sunset District gave him an indelible love for the city of San Francisco. At age 11, he began working as a caddy at Harding Park Golf Club, where he formed connections that led to a lifelong career in the golf business. He served as a Marine Corp Lieutenant in the Korean War, then returned to the Bay Area and earned a Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, becoming the first in his family to attain a college degree. He then went into business on Ocean Avenue with his friend Jerry Johnson and achieved rapid success in the golf club manufacturing industry under the company name Fernquest & Johnson.

Don married Carole Jean Fernquest in 1957, and together they had three sons, Jon, Erik, and Mark. Carole tragically died in 1972. Don later remarried, to Alexandra Louise Fernquest, and together they had three children, Jan, John, and Sarah.

In 1973, Don settled in Portola Valley and for many years ran a golf club manufacturing operation, Truex Golf, in Redwood City. An amateur archeologist and historian by inclination, Don traveled extensively over the decades, across at least 27 countries and six continents. He had a special love for the people and history of Mexico, where he lived briefly during his teenage years. His fascination with the history and archaeology of Rome was surpassed only by his love for his native city, indisputably “the best city in the world,” San Francisco.

In his later years, Don cultivated an interest in the art of bonsai, growing and curating a garden that grew to include more than 300 miniature trees. He enjoyed cooking, painting (he attended the San Francisco Art Institute in the 1960’s), opera, long road trips, and taking out-of-town visitors on “The Tour,” an extensive, insider’s walking tour of San Francisco.

Don is survived by Louise, his loving wife of 47 years; six children and eight grandchildren, who live in Portola Valley, Sebastopol, Silver City, Seattle, Honolulu, and London; and four sisters. Family and friends will remember him for his kindhearted nature, quirky sense of humor, spectacular stories, and life-loving, adventurous spirit.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held at a later date.