Donald Kohlmeier

Donald George Kohlmeier, age 76, who was born on May 3, 1945, in Rochester, New York, the son of George William and Mary Theresa (Sekel) Kohlmeier passed on to his heavenly home June 20 at the Ashby Living Center, Ashby, Minnesota, where, since April first of this year, he had been taken care of by their kind, dedicated, and gentle staff.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church.  Don attended grade school at Holy Family Catholic School and attended High school and 2 years of college at St. Andrews Seminary in Rochester, New York.   In 1965 he transferred to Dickinson State College in Dickinson, North Dakota where he received a teaching degree with a double major in English and History and minors in Latin and Physical-Education. While at Dickinson he also met his wife to be and on breaks from college he was introduced to fighting prairie fires, cowboy boots, branding, mountain oysters, deer hunting {Western North Dakota style} and all typical farming chores.

Don and Dorothy Esther Bloomgren were married on June 4, 1966, at St. Mels Catholic Church, Rhame, North Dakota. Father McNeely presided over the ceremony after prayers in his vestry before the ceremony with Pastor Korfmacher.   They lived in Dickinson while Don finished college.

Don taught and was head basketball coach in Rhame for five years and high school principal for some of those years. He also started a youth summer baseball program. He then moved to Leeds, North Dakota where he taught and was assistant basketball coach and head football coach for three years, before moving to Battle Lake, Minnesota to accept the teaching and head basketball coaching position for the 1975-76 school year. He continued to be the head basketball coach for 17 years. After resigning his coaching position, he continued to teach at Battle Lake and in addition to the subject matter he also taught his students many of life’s lessons, manners, and chivalry. He retired from his teaching position after 42 years of teaching at Battle Lake.  “Mr. K as he was affectionately known had a teaching career that lasted 50 years”.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church.  He enjoyed golfing, his family and especially his grandchildren.  Don and Dorothy would have a grandchild week, dedicated to spending time with all the grandkids. One summer they took them out to Western Dakota to visit their great-grandparents at Bowman. Which was quite an experience for children who were used to trees and now experienced the buttes, rolling hills, and open prairies.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; children, David (Annette) Kohlmeier of Grand Forks; Maria and Rebecca Kohlmeier both of Fergus Falls; daughter-in-law, Kelly Kohlmeier of Lubbock, Texas; grandchildren, Brittany (Dylan) Gahm, Tyler Kohlmeier, Gabrielle, Noelle and Halle Kohlmeier and Buddy & Brianna Kohlmeier; great grandchildren, Jourdan Richard Kohlmeier, and  Raelynn & William Gahm; sister, Sandra (Tom) Walker and nephew, Timothy (Brittany) Walker all of Orlando, Florida; and by numerous relatives and friends.  Don was preceded in death by his parents, George and Mary Kohlmeier; his in-laws, Opal and Ernest Bloomgren and son, Richard Kohlmeier.

Visitation: Friday, June 25, from 5-7 P.M., with a 6:30 Prayer Service at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Battle Lake and continuing one hour prior to the service at the church.

Mass of Christian Burial: 10 a.m., Saturday, June 26, 2021, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Battle Lake.

Clergy: Fr. LeRoy Schik

Interment: Mound Cemetery, Rhame, North Dakota

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Kent-McAllister Scholarship Fund or the Battle Lake 542 Education Foundation.

Funeral arrangements are with the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home of Battle Lake for Donald Kohlmeier.

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