Dennis Funeral Homes

DONALD WILLIAM ASMUS, age 91 of Waseca went to his eternal home on Friday, February 22, 2008 at the Lake Shore Inn Nursing Home in Waseca.

Born in Audubon County, Iowa on May 22, 1916, he was the son of William and Elizabeth (Jurgens) Asmus. Donald started his career as a carpenter in 1936 at Sibley, Iowa for Nic Christensen.  On May 26, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  His home port was at Norwalk, Virginia.  His years were spent on the U.S.S. Elizabeth C. Stanton an amphibious ship.  He served in all the zones in the Atlantic and the Pacific.  He was honorably discharged from the Navy on September 30, 1945 at Minneapolis with a rank of Chief Carpenters Mate.

Donald continued his career in Sibley Iowa in the carpentry business.  In May of 1950 he became employed for A.H. Hattindorf Construction Company in Ocheyedan, Iowa with his first job at Concordia Lutheran Church in rural Albert Lea.  Over the next ten years he constructed several churches in Iowa and Minnesota. 

Donald married Earleen Harms on October 13, 1950 in Nashua, Iowa.  She preceded him in death on October 13, 1970.   On July 2, 1971 he was united in marriage to Deloris Bauer Persons at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Waseca.

Donald continued to work in the construction industry and was employed by P & W Construction out of Faribault.  Some of his buildings in and around the Waseca Area are Rethwill Dental Clinic, First National Bank, St. Paul Lutheran Church addition, St. John Lutheran Church addition, Waterville Care Center, Balaton Nursing Home, Le Sueur United Methodist Church, Mapleton Nursing Home Addition, and Steele County Court House Addition.   In 1974 he took employment with Rocon Construction of Owatonna and retired in 1979.  He also worked as a carpenter at Brown Printing in Waseca for two years and taught an evening carpentry class at Faribault Technical College.

In 1988, Donald began driving the Waseca County Veterans Van, transporting local vets to the Minneapolis VA Center, retiring in 2000.

He loved to hunt, traveling to Wyoming and Colorado.  He also enjoyed camping and fishing with the family.  Several years were spent with the camper in Mesa and Casa Grande, Arizona as well as Texas.  They also traveled throughout the United States and Canada.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 36 years, Deloris; one daughter, Peggy Deno and her husband Ralph; one grandson, Robert Deno and fiancé Jessica Quiram all of Waseca; and three great grandchildren, Bryanne Deno, Adam Deno, and Kyle Quiram.  He is also survived by two sisters, Dorothy Reimer of Manila, IA, Lillian Nolte and her husband Mike of Auburn, IA and several nieces and nephews and a host of friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, one sister Gladys, and one grandson Adam Donald Deno.  

Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. at Faith United Methodist Church in Waseca with Rev. Neil Westby officiating.  Burial will follow at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, one hour before services at the church.