Donald Byron Carnes

CARNES CRASWELL LARSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/11/2010 at 22:52:49

Sioux City Journal
11 January 2003

Donald Byron "Don" Carnes, 69, of Sioux City died Thursday, Jan. 9, 2003, at his residence following a brief battle with cancer.

A memorial service celebrating Don's life will be 11 a.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A. in Sioux City, with the Revs. Alan Wicks and Dick Dahle officiating. Private graveside services will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army Reserves. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel.

Don was born Sept. 8, 1933, in Sioux City, the son of Byron and Helen (Craswell) Carnes. He graduated from Central High School in 1952 and later received an associate's degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953. He served during the Korean War, where he rose from the rank of private first class to staff sergeant in a short period of time. He earned a Good Conduct Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

Don married Gloria Larsen of Sioux City on June 18, 1955, in Sioux City. Their marriage was blessed with two sons, Todd and Craig, and two daughters, Susan and Amy. His greatest passion in life was to love his family, going beyond their needs, providing the teaching and tools to support the choices his children made for their lives. As the family storyteller, he illuminated family history with humor and creativity.

Don was a man of many talents and tireless energy. He was superintendent of Haco Engineering for 18 years. Following that, he was a successful home builder and licensed heating and air conditioning specialist. In 1982 he was appointed by the City Council of Sioux City to the Sioux City Plumbing and Heating Board. Most recently, Don served as a design engineering consultant for C. W. Suter.

He was a very active member of First Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A., teaching Sunday school or doing whatever else he was called upon to do. Outside of his professional life, Don's passions included riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, and looking forward each summer to joining his friends in attending the Sturgis Bike Rally in South Dakota. He was an avid fan of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Races, a skilled woodworker and skier.

Survivors include his wife, Gloria of Sioux City; two sons, Todd Carnes of Omaha, Neb., and Craig Carnes of Steamboat Springs, Colo.; two daughters and their husbands, Susan and Rick Gonzalez of Rosemount, Minn., and Amy and Steve Flynn of Omaha; two grandchildren, Nicholas Boland and Brooke Boland of Rosemount, and a grandson on the way; two sisters, Carol Reis of Lee Summit, Mo., and Joyce McClintock and her husband, Monte of Garner, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Bobby of Sioux City.

Honorary pallbearers will be Keith Shellhammer, Bill Burke, Jerry Hicks, Jerry Swartz, Scott Smith, Bob Ellis and E.B. Baker.

The family requests that memorials be directed to First Lutheran Church, Siouxland Cancer Center or Hospice of Siouxland.