Dennis Funeral Homes

Donald S. Williams, age 90 of Waseca died on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the Homestead Hospice House in Owatonna.

Don was born on August 18, 1920 to Merle E. and Helen Sloan Williams in Morrill, NE.

Don moved with his parents from Nebraska to a farm in Northern Idaho in the early 1930’s. He finished grade school in a one room county school and then completed high school in Sandpoint, Idaho, graduating in 1937. After finishing high school he worked for a year as a logger and then went on to college at the University of Idaho from 1938 to 1940.  In 1940 he moved to Bremerton, Washington and worked as a welder in the Bremerton Naval Ship Yard. 

Don married Evalyn Fay Brockus on May 21, 1942 in Sandpoint, Idaho.

In July of 1944 he joined the army where he served with the US Army 74^th Amphibious Truck Company in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre of Operations in World War II.  He was a sergeant supervising crews of 12 men on 200 foot freight boats and 196 foot seagoing tugboats delivering supplies to remote garrisons in the Mariana Island Group.  Don was honorably discharged in August of 1946.  He lived in Sandpoint until 1948 when he returned to the University of Idaho and completed his degree in Agronomy in 1952.

Upon graduation Don went to work for Northrup King Seed Company in Boise, Idaho. He spent 33 years with Northrup King specializing in grass and sorghum beading and seed production, based in Boise, Idaho; Dallas, Texas; and also in their headquarters in Minneapolis.

Upon retirement from Northrup King in 1984, Don and Evalyn moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas where they lived until 2005. While in Arkansas, Don started his second career working as an agronomist and greens keeper at a number of the local golf courses.  He finally retired in 2005 after moving to Waseca, Minnesota.  

Don has always loved the outdoors, and spent as much of his life as possible outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, camping, canoeing, golf, and gardening. His indoor activities were wood carving and reading. He was also an excellent photographer.

In Bella Vista he attended the Community Church and in Waseca he attended Faith Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Evalyn; one daughter, Jere L. Flake; and one son, Merlin E. and Laura Williams all of Waseca.  He is also survived by six grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents and a younger brother, Lewis M. Williams in 1991.

Memorial services will be held at Kinder-Dennis Home for Funerals in Waseca on Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 2:00 PM with Pastor C.J. Langton officiating.