Donald Harm Brower

Donald Harm Brower, age 74, of Willow Lake, died suddenly on Sunday morning, March 26, 2006, at Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 30th at 10:30AM at the United Presbyterian Church in Willow Lake with burial in Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Visitation will be from 5 to 7PM on Wednesday at the United Presbyterian Church. He was born on April 13, 1931 in rural Kingsbury County, near Erwin, SD, the son of Edwin and Maggie (Hinders) Gustafson. He was the fifth child in the family and his mother passed away a few days after his birth. His grandmother Hinders and grandmother, Mrs. Herman (Tillie) Brower were half-sisters, so Donald was adopted by Harm and Lucile (Halpin) Brower as a baby. He later met his natural family in 1957. Don went to country school in southwest Hague Township some 10 miles west of Willow Lake. After his schooling, he helped his father on the farm until his marriage to Lois Irene Meester on June 15, 1952 at the Presbyterian Church in Willow Lake. Don entered the U. S. Army on September 10, 1952. His basic training was completed in Kansas and he then served in Germany for 18 months. Following his stint in the military, Don returned to farm the family farm in Hague Township, Clark County where he farmed and raised his family with Lois. The couple continued to live on the family farm until his death. Don was a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Willow Lake where he served as an elder and a deacon. He was also a member of the church choir. He served on the Hague Township board for many years. He was a veteran of the Korean War and a member of the Johnny Fonken American Legion Post #113 of Willow Lake. He enjoyed riding horse to school. He lived only mile from aunts, uncles and grandparents as a child. He loved hunting crows, jackrabbits and gophers. He loved music, movies, roller skating and dancing. He attended many barn dances and later was involved in square dancing, both in dancing and calling. In later years, Don liked fishing and hunting ducks and geese. He had been hunting just a few days before his death. He also enjoyed playing cards. Farming was the love of his life next to his wife, his children and his grandchildren. He enjoyed camping in their fifth wheeler and they spent a few months each year in Texas and Arizona. Among survivors grateful for having shared in his life are his wife, Lois; one son, Ronald Brower and his wife Linda of Watertown; two daughters, Debra Moore and her husband Mark of Lake Stevens, WA and Joan Kaiser and her husband Tim of Bismark, ND; eleven grandchildren, Raquel, Justin, Ryan, Jeremy, Amy, Ashley, Abby, Jake, Jordyn, Tyler and David; nine great grandchildren, Macey, Bailey, Harley, Gabrielle, Alexander, Dominic, Joey, Elizabeth and Carsen; a half sister, Dorothy Snell of Fairfax, IA; two half brothers, Stanley Michaelson of Osakis, MN and Ray Gustafson of Belgrade, MN; and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harm and Lucile; a son-in-law, Joe Hudson; his biological parents Edwin and Maggie; a sister, Elsie Schneck; three brothers, John, Harry and Edward Gustafson; and a half sister, Irene Fortman. email condolences at www.furnessfuneralhome.com