Donald Eugene Aalbers

Donald E. "Don" Aalbers, age 82, Clark, died in the Jenkins Living Center at Watertown early Saturday morning, April 9, 2016.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 from 4-6PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue after 9AM at the Church in Clark on Wednesday morning.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 10:30 AM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Mindy Ehrke officiating.  The organist will be Dorothy Fuller with Duane & Char Peterson and Wendy Christman providing special music.  The active casketbearers will be the grandchildren.  Honorary Casketbearers will be Leo Tom, Charlie Cornelius, Tony Pollock and Terry Severson.  A private burial will be held later in the DeSmet City Cemetery at DeSmet, SD.

Donald Eugene Aalbers was born on February 8, 1934 at Miller, SD, the son of Garrett and Fern (Hein) Aalbers.  He attended Lake Preston and Spirit Lake Schools.  On February 4, 1952 he was united in marriage to Barbara Janssen, to this marriage 5 children were born.

For many years Don worked on the Chicago/Northwestern Railroad as a crew boss.  In later years he was employed at the Clark Community Oil and did carpentry work with the Headley Brothers and later with Don Lorenz.  In later years, Don handled yard and snow duty at Dakota Manor and for others around the community of Clark.

Don was a longtime member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he enjoyed many years of greeting people at the door, served as usher and in recent years, the head usher.  In the community, Don had been a member of the Clark Lions Club and was an avid bowler, enjoying countless hours at the bowling alley.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing in any free moment.  Don also enjoyed coffee time at the Clark Farmers Elevator.   He also served as the rubbish site supervisor for the City of Clark during summer months.  In other free moments he thoroughly enjoyed woodworking projects too, making lawn art, planters, and wishing wells to name a few.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a son, Richard and a great-grandchild, Zachary. Also preceding were brothers-in-law, Myron Westby and Ron Wynn.

Survivors include his children, Cindy (Steve) Smith of Columbus, MT, Sandy (Bill) Luke of Clark, Marcia Johnson of Watertown, and Jim (Jennifer) Aalbers of Harrisburg; 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.  He is also leaves 7 siblings, Deloris Wynn of Wahpeton, ND, Beverly Westby of Lovington, NM, Dorothy (Jim) Jensen of DeSmet, SD, Patricia (Terry) Vincent of Elkton, SD, Kenneth Aalbers of Soap Lake, WA, Terry (Karen) Aalbers of Amarillo, TX, and Nancy (Gary) Miklos of Arlington, SD.

God Bless the Life and Memory of Donald Aalbers.

The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com