The Memorial Service for Donald D. Dunn, age 68 of Lemmon, will be held at 10:30am Saturday, August 28, 2010 at the Prince of Peace Chapel of the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon. Brother Bill Middleton will officiate and inurnment will be in Gallaway Cemetery at Meadow.


A memorial has been established.


DONALD DUANE DUNN was born May 29, 1942 at Bison, SD to John and Anna Marie (Grohsmann) Dunn. He grew up on the family ranch southeast of Coals Springs, SD where they ran sheep and cattle. He attended a country school near his home and graduated from Lemmon High School in 1960. In high school, he secretly began farming an outer section of the family homestead and eventually expanded his farming operation. On July 12, 1969, Donald was united in marriage to Louise Wireman near Meadow. Three children, Denise, Tina, and John were born to this union.


Aviation was his life-long passion. Over the years, he owned and piloted numerous airplanes, a hot air balloon, an experimental ultra-light aircraft, and accumulated numerous "project fuselages". He thrilled his passengers with hammerhead and dive bomb stunts and could land anywhere. He astounded his friends by hang gliding off of Thunder Butte. He often went "airport bumming", visiting airports to watch the airplanes and swap stories with other pilots.


Another passion of Donald's was music. He played guitar, organ, and accordion music by ear and led many family and friend sing-alongs. His favorite musical shows were the Lawrence Welk Show, Hee Haw, and The Barbara Mandrell Show. He took his daughter's ice skating at area dugouts during the winter months, building bonfires, and giving sled rides behind the little garden tractor. During the hot summers, he would haul the large sheep tank up to the yard for his girls to swim in. He was a good mentor to his various nieces and nephews who spent summers working for him. He led by example, instilling a strong work ethic in his daughters. His nieces, Diana and Michelle each spent their eighth grade school year with Donald and Louise, and were very special to him.


Donald had many hobbies, including but not limited to, woodworking, gardening, video and photography, beekeeping, and carpentry. He loved making impromptu road trips, traveling and meeting new people. He loved trees and was extremely particular about their maintenance, and earned a conservation award for planting a number of shelterbelts on his farm.


Donald passed away suddenly on Monday, August 23, 2010 near Meadow, SD at the age of 68 years, 2 months, 24 days.


Surviving family members include his wife, Louise, Lemmon, SD; 2 daughters, Denise (Russ) Heupel, Box Elder, SD; Tina Paradis, New Underwood, SD; 3 grandchildren, Jeremy and Brittney Paradis, and Bailey Heupel; and 1 sister, Delores (Leon) Voegele, Trail City, SD; and his nieces Diana Brooks, Joplin, MO, and Michelle Barry, Mesa, AZ.


He was preceded in death by his parents, and one infant son, John.


Donald's family would like to give a special Thank You to Arlen Hatle for giving Donald the chance to do what he loved to do and for being such a good friend. Arlen's kindness over the years has been much appreciated. At the time of his death, he was doing what he loved, working at his favorite job, stacking bales.