Donald Herbert Althaus 1953 - 2009

CLAUSEN, ALTHAUS, MULLER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/21/2020 at 07:09:52

Sioux City Journal
29 April 2009

Donald H. Althaus

KINGSLEY, Iowa - Donald Herbert Althaus, 55, of San Antonio, Texas, formerly of Kingsley, was the victim of a homicide on Jan. 22, 2009, in San Antonio.

A celebration of life service with the family will be 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley. Private graveside services will be held in Rock Branch Fairfield Cemetery, with the Rev. Ken Kraft officiating.

Don was born Sept. 22, 1953, in Sioux City, to Herbert and Florence (Clausen) Althaus. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Salem Lutheran Church in Correctionville, Iowa. His childhood was spent on the family farm near Pierson, Iowa, until the age of 16, when his family moved to Kingsley. He attended Kingsley-Pierson School, graduating in 1971. In high school, he excelled in football, track and wrestling, qualifying for state in wrestling his senior year. He was awarded a wrestling scholarship to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He graduated from Northwestern College in 1975. After college graduation, he, along with his father and brother David, operated Althaus Construction for several years in the Kingsley area.

On June 12, 1981, he married Ann Muller in Remsen, Iowa. They lived in Kingsley until July 1985, when they moved to Victoria, Texas, for employment purposes. While living in Victoria, he coached Little League baseball and volunteered with the Special Olympics. In August 1991, the couple moved to LaCoste, Texas. They were divorced in June 2002, but remained friends. After the divorce, he moved to San Antonio, Texas. For the last several years, he was employed as a warehouse manager for Labatt Food Service in San Antonio.

He loved living in Texas and embraced the Texas lifestyle, but remained a loyal Hawkeye fan. He also was a big fan of the San Antonio Spurs and the Fiesta San Antonio festival. He was a music lover and had an extensive collection of albums and CDs. He loved to laugh and among the many good friends he made in Texas, he was known as "Laughing Don" A generous and caring person, even in death, the donation of his corneas has given the gift of sight to two people in Texas.

In addition to extended family and many old friends in Northwest Iowa, those left to cherish his memory include his brothers, David (Diane) of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, Richard (Patsy) of El Cajon, Calif., and Gary (Tracey) of Sioux City; a sister, Barbara Fletcher of Kingsley; a sister-in-law, Barb Post Althaus of Des Moines; 15 nieces and nephews, Travis Fletcher, Sherri Dejoode, Rich Althaus II, Rob Althaus, Ryan Althaus, Randy Althaus, Suzanne Haight, Zach Althaus, Kristina Althaus, Aaron Althaus, Alison Althaus, Adam Althaus, Alan Althaus, Karl Althaus and Gavin Althaus; and several grandnieces and grand-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, James; a brother-in-law, Terry Fletcher; and a nephew, Mark Althaus.