Coping with Grief
We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you can stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.
Don Neuenschwander, 90, of Jackson, Minnesota, entered into rest on Friday, February 26, 2021, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 5, 2021 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, with Pastor John Schuetz officiating. Visitation will take place beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the church. Military Honors will be performed by the Jackson American Legion and VFW Post 130.
The service will be live streamed on the Osterberg Funeral Home Facebook page, for those to attend the services virtually. Masks are required to be worn inside the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family are preferred.
Donald Louis Neuenshwander, son of Louis and Hilda (Dahle) Neuenschwander, was born in the family home on Friday, December 19, 1930 in Martin County, Minnesota. Don was the younger of fraternal twins that day. His sister Donna was born first. Don attended school in Fairmont and worked on the family farm and others while growing up. He was quite adventurous in his younger years and left to pursue what he and older brother Norman thought was a better paying job in Missouri. When he and Norman discovered that was not the case, Norman returned to Minnesota, but with Don it ignited an interest of exploring many cities and states during the next 5 years as he worked different jobs in Missouri, Texas, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Illinois making many friends along the way. In 1951, Don enlisted into the United States Army, and proudly served his country in the Korean War. He was awarded 2 Bronze stars for his services and was present for the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. Once his “exploration” of Korea was completed, he was honorably discharged and began travels again to Minneapolis. While working there he met up with a cousin and they headed to Alaska! Don worked in Alaska for two years on a pipeline for water diversion working day and evening as there wasn’t much to do once the dayshift was done. He returned to Fairmont and then off to Chicago for electrical school but decided upon learning the plumbing trade in Milwaukee. Once again, he returned to the home base of Fairmont to work. It was during this time, he was introduced to the love of his life, Joann Onken from Jackson, by a mutual friend and on January 26, 1962, they quietly traveled to Sioux Falls and were united in marriage. They were blessed with 4 children: Terry, Justin, Jane, and Sara. Don and Joann lived in Jackson and for 15 years on the SE corner of Clear Lake. During this time, Clear Lake became ingrained as a special place in the family’s heart, which continues in the children and grandchildren today. In 1985, Don, Joann and Sara moved to Hastings, Minnesota as work was a little slow in SW Minnesota during that time. In the early part of 1992 Don decided 40 years as a plumber was enough. He told his boss he was finished, proceeded home, hooked up the boat and returned to Jackson to fish. He was quite surprised that it only earned a chuckle out of his wife and children. Don had been a quiet, loyal, and selfless provider for his family for many years and they were happy for him and thought it was well deserved. Now, it was time for Joann’s dream of running a bed and breakfast at her childhood home that was part rooming house for railroad men since the1940’s - The now infamous Old RailRoad Inn. They have operated the bed and breakfast for 30 years, announcing repeatedly for the last 5 years that they were going to retire. Don and Joann are natural inviting hosts that often became guests themselves to many people they met during those years, even attending a wedding in India for one of their “adopted” sons. Don was a long-time active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jackson, serving for many years as treasurer and a regular usher.
On Friday, February 26, 2021, with his wife by his side, Donald was called home to his Lord in Savior, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 90 years, 2 months, and 7 days.
Don was a dedicated family man and warm and friendly to everyone he met. He enjoyed fishing during all seasons, completing puzzles, and reading western and detective novels. He would finish a 2-inch novel in a day and has been known to read a single book many times over (usually from his favorite author Louis L’amour). He liked meeting the boys for coffee, interacting with the guests, going out for a drive which usually involved checking out “the lake”. He continued his love of exploring many states with Joann for vacations and visiting family and friends from Canada to Texas, back to Alaska and east to Massachusetts.
Don adored all the moments that he spent with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was very patient with children and could always tease a giggle or smile out of them. He has left a lifetime of memories for his family and friends to cherish for years to come.
Don is survived by his wife of 59 years Joann; son Justin (Ann) Neuenschwander of Littleton, Colorado; daughters Jane (Greg) Bly of San Antonio, Texas and Sara (Ron) Anderson of Jackson, Minnesota; grandchildren Chad Neuenschwander, Taylor (Paul) Bush, Brandon Shaffer, Alexandra Neuenshwander, , Emily Clayton, Lanna (Dierk Finlay) Clayton, Savannah Gonzalez, Bryn Anderson, Kie Anderson, and Reese Anderson; great-grandchildren Scarlett Bush, Atlas Bush and Quinn Finlay; along with numerous relatives.
Don is preceded in death by his son Terry Neuenschwander, his parents Louis and Hilda, brothers Norman and Larry Neuenschwander, sisters Agnes Holter, Peggy Stillwagon, Gladys Have, Delores Bornholdt, Donna Wiedow and Joyce Scott.
Blessed be the memory of Donald Louis Neuenschwander.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald Louis Neuenschwander, please visit our floral store.