Donald Hirzel

Donald Hirzel, a long-time Livermore resident, died unexpectedly Oct. 1. He was 73.

Hirzel was born in San Francisco to George and Doris Hirzel and attended grade school there. His family moved to Menlo Park in 1952 where he graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton. He served three years in the U.S. Navy as a machinery repairman on the USS Hector.

He worked at Latham Manufacturing on the Peninsula and then in 1964 joined LLNL, working in the Mechanical Engineering/New Technologies Engineering Division until his retirement in 1998. Hirzel and his family lived in Livermore for more than 48 years.

Hirzel helped build homes in the East Bay for Habitat for Humanity. For the past 32 years he raised dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind and he teamed with his wife as co-leaders to help other Alameda County families raise pups to become guides. He was highly involved in Cedar Grove Community Church and in mission outreach programs of Veteran's Hospital visitations, Prison Ministries, Shepherds Gate and Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center.

His hobbies included vegetable gardening, fly fishing, SCUBA diving, camping and water skiing with family and friends, travel, woodwork and repair of almost anything.

Hirzel is survived by his wife of 48 years, Diana Hirzel; son Douglas Hirzel and wife Jennifer; daughter Debbie Jackson and husband Duane; four grandchildren; sister Carolyn Parker and husband Don; and cousin Marilyn Bodourian.

A celebration of Hirzel's life will be at a memorial service Nov. 17 at Cedar Grove Community Church, 2021 College Avenue, Livermore.

Donations in memory of Hirzel may be made to the following nonprofit organizations: Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. and Cedar Grove Community Church -- mission outreach.