Donald Austin First (1918-2003)

FIRST, STREEPER, WIGGER

Posted By: Sharon Lindbloom (email)
Date: 1/11/2026 at 16:24:37

SOURCE: MIDLAND TIMES, WYOMING, IOWA, OCTOBER 10, 2003, PAGE 8
DONALD AUSTIN FIRST
Aril 23, 1918 - October 1, 2003
Donald Austin First, 85, of Wyoming, Iowa died Wednesday, October 1, 2003 at the Monticello Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Monticello following a sudden illness.
Funeral services were held on Saturday at 11:00 AM at St John's Lutheran Church in Monticello with Rev. Reed Stockman officiating. Burial was at Wyoming Cemetery, with military honors accorded by the American Legion Post 259 of Wyoming.
Friends called on Friday from 6 to 8 pm at Hayden & Lahey Funeral Home in Wyoming.
Donald Austin First was born on April 23, 1918 in Wyoming, Iowa to Clarence and Ada (Streeper) First. He graduated from Wyoming High School in 1935. He married Ruth Wigger on October 28,1942. Don served as a sergeant in the US Army during WWII, earning three Bronze Stars. Following the service, he farmed in Jones County, until retiring in 1990.
He is survived by three daughters, Jorja (Donald) Ackermann of Worland, Wyoming, Dona (Paul) Funk of Detroit, Michigan, and Patsy (John) Christoffersen of Provo, Utah. 15 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and a sister, Vivian (Herbert) Jackson of Pleasant Hill, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his wife, two sons, Gregory and Lynn, a brother and three sisters.
Honorary pallbearers were Donald Ackermann, John Christoffersen and Paul Funk. Pallbearers were Mike and Aaron First, Douglas Luke, John Anderson and Dennis Huston.