1935
Donald
2016
Donald Koester
March 12, 1935 — April 19, 2016
Donald Koester, 81, of Fergus Falls, MN, died on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at the Broen Home in Fergus Falls.
Donald Raymond (Bunka) Koester was born on March 12, 1935, in Fairmount, North Dakota, to Bernard and Alvina (Bonifus) Koester. He graduated from Sebeka High School in 1953. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1958 – 1960 where he attained the rank of Sergeant and received the Good Conduct Medal, a Citation from General Shang Ki Sheck of Formosa, and the Guided Missile Achievement Award.
He married Margaret Rudh on May 18, 1958, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Together they had four children.
After his service in the U.S. Army, he worked for Minnesota Motors for a short time before he began working as a patrol officer for the Fergus Falls Police Department in 1963. After his retirement from the police department in 1990, he began working at Minnesota Motors as a courtesy car driver and was employed there until his death.
Donald enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, doing yard work, crossword puzzles, watching the Weather Channel, and transporting cars for Minnesota Motors.
Donald is survived by his wife of 57 years Margaret; three daughters, Carmen (Dave) Smith of Bemidji, Minnesota, Kim (Jim) Yost of Hutchinson, Minnesota, Connie Jo Evenson of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; a son, Kurt Koester of Bellingham, Washington; two granddaughters, Melissa Yost of Jupiter, Florida and Alisha Yost of Richfield, Minnesota; a great-granddaughter, Roxy Yost of Hutchinson, Minnesota; a brother, Ken (Shirley) Koester of Effie, Minnesota; two sisters, Lorraine (Basil) Keller of Fergus Falls, Minnesota and Anita (Wally) Mohs of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents; a sister and brother-in-law, Marie and Calvin Hill and a son-in-law Fred Evenson, Jr.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lake Region Hospital Cancer Care and Research Center in Fergus Falls as a thank you to them for their wonderful and heartfelt care of Donald for the past 7 ½ months.
Visitation: Sunday, April 24, 2016, from 4-6 P.M., at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, and resuming one hour prior to the service at the church.
Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 25, 2016, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Pastors Tom Peterson, Jacob Anderson & James McBride
Interment: Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Military Honors by: Minnesota Army National Honor Guard.
Donald Koester Video Tribute
Donald Raymond (Bunka) Koester was born on March 12, 1935, in Fairmount, North Dakota, to Bernard and Alvina (Bonifus) Koester. He graduated from Sebeka High School in 1953. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1958 – 1960 where he attained the rank of Sergeant and received the Good Conduct Medal, a Citation from General Shang Ki Sheck of Formosa, and the Guided Missile Achievement Award.
He married Margaret Rudh on May 18, 1958, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Together they had four children.
After his service in the U.S. Army, he worked for Minnesota Motors for a short time before he began working as a patrol officer for the Fergus Falls Police Department in 1963. After his retirement from the police department in 1990, he began working at Minnesota Motors as a courtesy car driver and was employed there until his death.
Donald enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, doing yard work, crossword puzzles, watching the Weather Channel, and transporting cars for Minnesota Motors.
Donald is survived by his wife of 57 years Margaret; three daughters, Carmen (Dave) Smith of Bemidji, Minnesota, Kim (Jim) Yost of Hutchinson, Minnesota, Connie Jo Evenson of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; a son, Kurt Koester of Bellingham, Washington; two granddaughters, Melissa Yost of Jupiter, Florida and Alisha Yost of Richfield, Minnesota; a great-granddaughter, Roxy Yost of Hutchinson, Minnesota; a brother, Ken (Shirley) Koester of Effie, Minnesota; two sisters, Lorraine (Basil) Keller of Fergus Falls, Minnesota and Anita (Wally) Mohs of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents; a sister and brother-in-law, Marie and Calvin Hill and a son-in-law Fred Evenson, Jr.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lake Region Hospital Cancer Care and Research Center in Fergus Falls as a thank you to them for their wonderful and heartfelt care of Donald for the past 7 ½ months.
Visitation: Sunday, April 24, 2016, from 4-6 P.M., at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, and resuming one hour prior to the service at the church.
Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 25, 2016, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Pastors Tom Peterson, Jacob Anderson & James McBride
Interment: Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Military Honors by: Minnesota Army National Honor Guard.
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