Donald Francis GATES

GATES, PULLEN, MARKERT, PARK, FEHR, BALVIN, EDMUNDS, DEWILDE, LENNING

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/12/2011 at 11:42:09

March 23, 1928 --- June 10, 2011

HARDY, IA - Donald Gates, 83 of Hardy, IA died Friday June 10, 2011 at the West Bend Care Center. Services will be held Tuesday, 2:00 p.m. at the Apostolic Christian Church, West Bend with a 5 p.m. Committal Service with military rites at Indian Mound Cemetery, Humboldt. Visitation will be held Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Apostolic Fellowship Center. Harris Funeral Home of West Bend is in charge of arrangements.

Donald Francis Gates, son of Arthur and Ethel (Pullen) Gates, was born March 23, 1928 in Clarks, Nebraska. He moved with his family to Humboldt County Iowa in 1940 and Don graduated from Humboldt High School in 1946. In 1951 Don was united in marriage with Yvonne Markert. Don was drafted into the army to serve in the Korean War in 1953. Don farmed in the Rutland and Hardy area and worked for the Humboldt County Assessors Office for many years. In 1976 Don was married to Judy Park. Don continued to farm and worked various jobs until he entered the West Bend Care Center in January 2010. Don was a member of the VFW, American Legion and Eagles Club in Humboldt and the Apostolic Christian Church in West Bend. He enjoyed gardening and caring for livestock.

Preceding Don in death are his parents, brother Jerry Gates and step granddaughter Brandy Fehr. Survivors include Don's wife Judy of West Bend, IA; daughter Diane Balvin and her husband Randy of Brooklyn, IA; sons Ron Fehr and his wife Sandy of Boone, IA, Donald Fehr and his wife Susie of Des Moines, IA, and Bill Fehr of Chandler, AZ; grandchildren Jeff and Amber Edmunds, Theresa DeWilde, Jesse and Cassandra Fehr; great granddaughters Annabella Edmunds and Jackie DeWilde; sister Betty Lenning and her husband James of Humboldt, IA; and several nieces and nephews.

June 12, 2011
Fort Dodge Messenger - Iowa