Don Kimball Archer

Born November 8, 1911 to Charles W. and Verna Kimball Archer in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the second child and had an older sister, Norma Archer. He was raised very close to the Lorenzo and Dorthea Kimball family. He was also very close to his sister Norma.

When Don was 11 years old he attended the State Fair. He was there with his friends and being young boys thought they would try to dare each other into getting a tattoo and Don was the one who gave in. He decided to have a D tattooed on his upper left arm. He hid this tattoo from his parents for almost a year. One day he was taking a bath and his father walked in. He forgot to hide the tattoo and his father saw it. He said he had never had a beating like that before. His father was extremely upset with him.

When he was age 13 his father Charles left the family and moved to California, leaving Don in charge. Don decided after a short while that he didn't want to live by the rules his mother had set about. He ran away from home and jumped the train headed to California. He had the mumps and was sicker than a dog. He returned home a couple days later, never making it to California.

Don was very close to his mother and built a great relationship with her during his teenage years. He took good care of his mom and sister. He attended West High School and graduated in 1929. He also attended one year of college at the University of Utah.