- Date Of Birth: October 20, 1932
- Date Of Death: September 14, 2014
- State: Iowa
Don H. Christensen, age 81, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, passed away on Sunday September 14, 2014 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. Don was born on October 20, 1932 on a farm north of Newell, Iowa to Clarence Peter and Rosy (Haahr) Christensen. He was baptized and confirmed at the Nain Lutheran Church in Newell. Don began his schooling at Newell and moved with the family to a farm south of Marathon, in the middle of his 9th grade year. His athletic record included four years of football, basketball and baseball. He made all conference end on the gridiron, all-state honors in both basketball and football and pitched Marathon to the sectional baseball championship in 1949. Musically, Don had four years of glee club, chorus and boys quartet, two years mixed quartet and madrigal, won division I for vocal solo in state music contest. He was both high school newspaper editor and student council president his senior year. Don was in the junior and senior class plays and was senior class vice president. He was the valedictorian of his 1950 graduating class at Marathon High School. Don then went on to Morningside College in Sioux City where he was given a full scholarship and invited to play basketball and football for the legendary George Allen, who would go on to be a Hall of Fame coach in the NFL. Don and coach Allen would remain in contact for many years. While at Morningside to pursue his 4 years of pre-dentistry classes, his father became ill so Don returned to the family farm. He then was called to serve his country during the Korean War, April 2, 1953. Inducted at Omaha his next training was at Fort Sill, OK. From there on to Japan and finally assigned to the personnel section of Headquarters Btry with the 999 Armored Field Artillery Battalion as office supervisor. Don received his Honorable Discharge March 31, 1955 at Fort Carson, CO and boarded a fast train back to farm 50/50 with his mother. On December 27, 1958, Don married Marlene Janel Brechwald, the love of his life, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Alta, Iowa. They made their home on the farm, enjoying their family and then retired, building a new home on West Lake Okoboji in 1998. They would have been married 56 years this coming December. Husband and devoted father, Don’s first priority was always his family. In his later years, he thoroughly enjoyed his grandchildren. His wisdom and guidance were always appreciated and he will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him. Don loved his Lord and gladly served Him as a member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Albert City and First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. He helped on church boards and committees as well as serving wherever he was needed over the years. An active member of the communities where he lived, Don was elected to serve advisory positions with schools, AC elevator coops, nursing homes, county groups, DeKalb Ag-Research, Pioneer-Dupont Corp and others. He was a seed salesman for 38 years and also sold nursery products for Elmore Nursery, MN for 13 years. Don loved to travel and search for antiques they could use in their home. Don enjoyed sports with his sons and grandchildren and also getting together with friends and neighbors. He also enjoyed all types of music, and especially enjoyed Rock and Roll music at the park with Marlene. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Marlene, of Spirit Lake; son, dentist, Dr. Steve and Jane of Okoboji and son, farmer, seed sales, Kirk and Karla of Albert City; grandchildren, David of Marathon, Daniel of Minneapolis, MN, Katelyn of Storm Lake, Grace and Tyler Smith of West Des Moines and Nicholas of Okoboji; and extended family and a host of friends. Don was preceded in death by his parents and 4 sisters, Marion, Marjorie, Gwen, and his twin sister Donna.
