Donald Friese, 81

Donald “Doc” Duane Friese, 81, Rose City, died peacefully on Sunday, May 20, 2012, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 26 at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Miltona with the Rev. James Brown officiating. Burial will take place at Spruce Hill Cemetery, Spruce Hill Township.

Pallbearers are his sons and sons-in-law. Honorary pallbearers are his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The visitation is Friday, May 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lind Family Funeral Home in Miltona and continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Donald was born March 27, 1931 to Albert and Genevieve (Quam) Friese in Wanamingo. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Minneola Township, Goodhue County. Don attended Wanamingo High School. Following his education, he worked on the family dairy farm.

He was united in marriage to Jacqueline Carol Redalen on February 27, 1954 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro. He continued farming in Wanamingo until moving to Princeton, where he raised turkeys. Don and Jackie lived in several towns in southeastern Minnesota where he worked various trades such as trucking, construction, turkey hatchery, sheep shearing and fur trapping.

In 1967, he attended Otto Schnering College in Cary, Illinois for herdsman training. He was recruited as the Oklahoma State Coordinator for Curtiss Breeding Service, Inc. and moved to Guthrie, Oklahoma. While there, Don was instrumental to the introduction of exotic beef breeds in cattle through artificial insemination and also developed a herdsman school, teaching and training cattle breeding to young farmers and ranchers. Don and Jackie were active members of the community and Zion Lutheran Church. They gained many lifelong friendships during their five year residence.

In May of 1972, they returned to Minnesota and settled in the Rose City area, where he focused again on dairy farming. Don and Jackie also owned and operated Eagle Lanes Bowling Alley in Eagle Bend for three years.

He continued farming into retirement. In retirement he enjoyed maintenance of his prized farm site, grounds keeping at the Alexandria Golf Club, woodworking and traveling with Jackie to visit family. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, trapping, fishing, gardening and bird watching. He especially cherished spending time with his grandchildren and will long be remembered for his storytelling.

Don was a member of Rose City Evangelical Free Church, a board member of Burleene (Todd County) and Spruce Hill (Douglas County) Townships. Don was also a board member of the Rose City Threshing Festival, Spruce Hill Cemetery and Douglas County Historical Society.

Don is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Jackie; five sons, Michael (Betty) of Guthrie, Oklahoma, Stuart (Roxie) of Frazee, Jeffrey (Kammie) of Flanders, New Jersey, Brian of Eagle Bend and Gregory (Elise) of Guthrie, Oklahoma; two daughters, Michelle (Scott) Pribula of Plymouth and Susan (Charles) Weddle of Yorktown, Virginia; three brothers, Russell (Catherine) of Rochester, Garvin of Wanamingo and Roger (Shirley) of Kilkenny; four sisters, Lorraine Munson of Hayfield, Lou Belle (Norbert) Sieben of Cannon Falls, Avis Ordalen of Albert Lea and Shirley Strand of Erskine; 16 grandchildren, Stacy, Kyle, Shane, Micah, Melissa, Nicholas, Erica, Luke, Noah, Haylee, Rachel, Jonathan, Aaron, Ava, Jacob and Jonah; seven great-grandchildren, Blake, Evan, Braylon, Dylan, Alivia, Lillian and Nathan; along with many nieces, nephews and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Gerald; and infant granddaughter, Leah Pribula.

Arrangements are with Lind Family Funeral and Cremation Service; www.lindfamilyfh.com.

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