Don Gabriel, 76, passed away on Monday, January 18 ^th 2021 at Brookdale Greeley in Greeley.

He was born in Brush on May 24, 1944.  When he was five years old, he and his parents moved to Greeley, CO.  Don attended a small country school called Delta grades 1 through 6 and Meeker Junior High grades 7 and half of grade 8.  Then he and his parents moved to Fort Morgan where he finished the 8 ^th grade.  At age 14, he and his parents moved back to Brush where he attended Brush High School.  Don graduated from BHS in 1962; he attended NJC in Sterling where he graduated with an Associate Degree in Science in 1963.  Don began working for the engineering part of CDOT in 1963.  A majority of his work was the Interstate from Brush to the Atwood exit.

On September 27, 1964, Don married Evonne Kay Asheim in Brush.  The fall of 1965, Don enrolled in Colorado State College in Greeley.  He graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Chemistry in 1967.  The same year he student taught under Frank Mercer in Brush.  In the fall of 1967, he became a full-time teacher in Brush High School.  Don Gabriel taught both math and science.  He strengthened the school's science program by increasing the number of both chemistry and physics classes offered.  He was a major force in organizing local and regional science fairs at which his students were strong competitors.  Mr. Gabriel also devoted time to the establishment of three-acre outdoor habitat on school property and the development of a science text geared for special education students.  Among the honors he received was the Excellence in Science Teaching Award from the Colorado Association of Science Teachers and Distinguished Service Award from the Colorado-Wyoming Junior Academy of Science. Other awards included the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching and eight Classroom Connection awards sponsored by the Public Service Company of Colorado.  Mr. Gabriel was also named a Tandy Technology Scholar in 1995.

In addition to his teaching duties, he served as a school board director for School District Re-2J.  He served as Secretary/Treasurer and he served as Vice-President of the South Platte Valley Board of Cooperative Services from 1991-1993 and President since 1993-1998.  In 1979 he began working with Colorado's Department of Natural Resources as a deputy water commissioner during the summer.  Don retired from teaching as well as his water commissioner job in 2000.  From 2000 through 2014, he was a ditch rider for the Bijou Irrigation Company.   From 2012-2015 he was a ditch rider for the Garrigus Ditch.

Don is survived by his two children- Shawn Gabriel (Star) of Brush and Dawn Click (Kevin) of Evans.  He was preceded by his parents Max and Vera Ellen (Coleman) Gabriel, his wife Evonne Kay Gabriel.

At Don's request no services will be held.