Donald Carl Andresen

Donald Carl Andresen, born June 10, 1926, in Petaluma, passed away peacefully at the age of 98 in his Novato home on Feb 28, 2025. He was predeceased by his wife, June Andresen; his parents, Carl and Helen Andresen; and his eldest son, Steven Andresen.

Don is survived by sons Rick Andresen and his wife, Lisa, of Petaluma, CA; Mark Andresen of Novato, CA; daughter Kristi Andresen (Stewart) and her husband, Jeff, of Reno, NV; and his two grandsons Matthew and Michael Andresen of Petaluma.

Upon graduating from Petaluma High, Don served with honor in the U.S. Navy in WWII as a Radio Man on the USS Shields in the Pacific from June 1944 to June 1946. He then attended the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated with a degree in Agricultural Economics. On June 19, 1949, he married June Bertram of Petaluma, embarking on a partnership that would last a lifetime.

Soon after marriage Don joined Bank of America as a teller and worked at the branch at the corner of Washington and the Boulevard.  With job transfers, the family moved up and down the state a few times before landing in Novato in 1962.  He rose thru the ranks to become an area exec in San Francisco and retired from the bank in 1988.

Having experienced the Great Depression, Don understood the value of frugality and often humorously remarked, "I’m not cheap; I’m thrifty!".  He would do his best to repurpose and reuse.  His memory remained sharp, and he told countless stories of adventures with Navy buddies, his past in Petaluma, and always remembered special dates, names and places.

Donald loved history, travel to Europe and to see relatives on the island of Fohr, and was passionate about woodworking, but above all, he valued his family and friends deeply. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, thoughtful guidance, and a profound appreciation for the beauty of the world around him.