Donald Tonderum SCHULTZ

SCHULTZ, TONDERUM, BEECHER, KNIGHT, BECKER, WHIPPLE, MICKELSON, RASMUSSEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/1/2008 at 12:00:43

January 1, 2008
Fort Dodge Messenger

CLARION — Donald T. Schultz, 85, of Clarion passed away on Saturday, December 29, 2007 at Careage of Clarion. Funeral services for Donald Schultz will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at the United Methodist Church in Clarion with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. Burial will take place at Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove at 1:30 p.m. Visitation for Donald Schultz will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Home, 602 North Main Street, in Clarion and continue one hour prior to services on Wednesday.

Donald Tonderum Schultz, the son of Niels and Ida (Tonderum) Schultz was born on July 17, 1922 in Hayward, Minnesota. The family later moved to the Bode area and he graduated from Rutland High School. When Donald was drafted into service he joined the Navy, but after basic training he changed to be in the Marines. He spent 22 months overseas. In late 1946 Donald returned home and worked for his brother-in-law farming. His next job was in 1948 which was a cream route in Goldfield. This allowed him to be home in the early afternoon so he could help on another farm. Donald built and painted his own house in Goldfield. In 1950 he met and married Helen Beecher and continued to do odd jobs around the Goldfield area. He also began putting up cement concrete elevators in many different towns. In 1961 the couple moved to Ames where Donald went to work for Doboy Feeds as part of the maintenance crew. He worked there for 21 years and returned to Clarion where he resided for the last 18 years. Helen passed away in 2001. Donald was a member of the United Methodist Church in Clarion and had been President of the Senior Center of Clarion for 10 years until he married Fern Knight of Phoenix, Arizona. He started going to Phoenix with Fern for 5 months out of the year and thought it only fair to let someone else be President of the Senior Center. Donald loved to play bingo, cards, raising roses and baking pies. He thoroughly enjoyed having friends and family stop in just to make his day.

Donald leaves behind his wife Fern; 3 step-sons: Leslie Beecher of Eagle Grove; Jerry Knight (Betty) of Golden, Missouri; Larry Knight (Kristi) of Phoenix, Arizona; step-daughter Sharon Becker (Dave) of Anamosa; 2 sisters-in-law: Shirley Schultz of Franklin, Virginia and Marjorie Whipple (Warren) of Humboldt; 2 brothers-in-law: Herman Mickelson residing in VA home in Marshalltown and Helmer Mickelson (Lovella) of Phoenix, Arizona; 12 step-granchildren; numerous step-great grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; 2 brothers: Oscar and Eldon Schultz; wives Helen Beecher Schultz, Agnes Schultz and Helen Rasmussen; step-son Eugene Beecher; and brother-in-law Marshall Rasmussen. Donald’s family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Hospice and/or the Clarion Senior Center.