Donald Jude Berinati, 79, died November 12th, 2025, surrounded by friends and family and in the compassionate care of the Renown Hospice in Reno, Nevada. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Don lived much of his life off-grid in the northern California mountains, where the light and beauty sustained him.
Don was a 1968 graduate of Georgetown University, a member of the last cohort required to wear dress shirts and ties to classes. Having earned a degree in chemistry, he worked for a few years as a chemist for the Bureau of Land Management and California Fish and Game. But having regular hours didn’t suit Don, and his real passion was skiing, so he proudly became and claimed the title of Ski Bum. When he realized that skiing, and hiking, wouldn’t pay the most basic of bills, he apprenticed himself to a contractor and ultimately founded his own design and build business, Sweetwater Building Company. His area of expertise became custom alpine homes, and he concentrated his business in the Eastern Sierra communities of California.
But these details don’t truly encapsulate Don’s life, one he lived heartily and passionately. Don was known for his wicked sense of humor, but that humor masked a deeply sensitive nature. He made time for others, be they friends or neighbors or organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. One of his most cherished memories was attending the March on Washington in 1963, and in the weeks and months before he became sick, he participated in every organized protest in northern Nevada. He took Martin Luther King’s words and internalized them. He too had dreams for a better world.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Vincent Berinati; his sister Judy O’Connell; his nephew Alec Baillie; his in-laws Bob and Bobbie Pahmeier; and sister-in-law Brenda Pahmeier. He is survived by his beloved wife Gailmarie Pahmeier; nephews Julien Fitzpatrick, Luke and Carson Hembree; brother-in-law Brad Hembree; and his devoted dogs Isaac and Stella.
The family will host a gathering in his honor at a later date. In the meantime, they would like to thank the nurses, doctors, palliative care and hospice teams at Renown and the many friends who visited with him the last month of his life and also, tirelessly, cared for Gailmarie. Special thanks to Lara, Andrea, Katja, Matt, Sienna, Shaun, Courtney, Steve, Brad, Julien and Caryn. Bless you all.
In lieu of flowers, please go skiing or hiking in Don's memory.
Don was a 1968 graduate of Georgetown University, a member of the last cohort required to wear dress shirts and ties to classes. Having earned a degree in chemistry, he worked for a few years as a chemist for the Bureau of Land Management and California Fish and Game. But having regular hours didn’t suit Don, and his real passion was skiing, so he proudly became and claimed the title of Ski Bum. When he realized that skiing, and hiking, wouldn’t pay the most basic of bills, he apprenticed himself to a contractor and ultimately founded his own design and build business, Sweetwater Building Company. His area of expertise became custom alpine homes, and he concentrated his business in the Eastern Sierra communities of California.
But these details don’t truly encapsulate Don’s life, one he lived heartily and passionately. Don was known for his wicked sense of humor, but that humor masked a deeply sensitive nature. He made time for others, be they friends or neighbors or organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. One of his most cherished memories was attending the March on Washington in 1963, and in the weeks and months before he became sick, he participated in every organized protest in northern Nevada. He took Martin Luther King’s words and internalized them. He too had dreams for a better world.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Vincent Berinati; his sister Judy O’Connell; his nephew Alec Baillie; his in-laws Bob and Bobbie Pahmeier; and sister-in-law Brenda Pahmeier. He is survived by his beloved wife Gailmarie Pahmeier; nephews Julien Fitzpatrick, Luke and Carson Hembree; brother-in-law Brad Hembree; and his devoted dogs Isaac and Stella.
The family will host a gathering in his honor at a later date. In the meantime, they would like to thank the nurses, doctors, palliative care and hospice teams at Renown and the many friends who visited with him the last month of his life and also, tirelessly, cared for Gailmarie. Special thanks to Lara, Andrea, Katja, Matt, Sienna, Shaun, Courtney, Steve, Brad, Julien and Caryn. Bless you all.
In lieu of flowers, please go skiing or hiking in Don's memory.
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