Obituary

Donald Lee Blankenship passed away on May 5, 2024, at the age of 79 in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Born in Long Beach, CA, he was the son of Floyd Robert Blankenship and Mary Ida Rapp. He attended St. Anthony’s Catholic High School where he met the love of his life, Jan Rogers. They married shortly after high school and shared 53 years of marriage. Don attended Long Beach State University and earned a degree in criminal justice while serving in the Air Force Reserves. Don started his career in law enforcement with the Los Alamitos Police Department. He transferred to the Santa Ana Police Department, where he served from 1975-1999. He retired in 1999 from SAPD as a Sergeant and the President of the Police Officers Association. He then became the Chief of the Bureau of Investigation at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office until his retirement in 2009. Don had a passion for honoring his fallen brother and sister officers who died in the line of duty. He served as the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation’s second president during his more than 20 years of dedicated service to the foundation. He dedicated his life to the protection and service to others.

He was a proud member of Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest. where he was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed spending time with his family, traveling the world, working out, Notre Dame football, volunteering at church, spending time in his backyard with his friends, and he loved all dogs. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and loyal friend to all who knew him. He will be dearly missed.

Don was predeceased by his mother Mary Ida Rapp Blankenship, his father Floyd Robert Blankenship, and his wife Jan Rogers Blankenship. He is survived by his children, Kari Lee Plush (husband James Plush), Stacy Lynn Persek (husband Mathew Persek), Donald Wayne Blankenship (wife Tiffany Blankenship), and his four grandchildren, Julia James, Madalyn Marie, Mason Robert, and Lily Grace.

The funeral service will be held on May 16, 2024, at Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest at 10:00 am with interment immediately following at Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest. We will have a Celebration of Life at the Blankenship home.

A memorial donation may be made in lieu of flowers to the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation.

Mailing address:
CPOMF
640 Bercut Drive
Sacramento, CA 95811
camemorial.org