Donald "Don" Bohn

Donald "Don" Bohn, age 89, of De Smet, SD, passed away Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. 

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at American Lutheran Church in De Smet, SD. Pastor Jim Millman will officiate with music provided by Julie Baszler as organist and Tristan Gruenhagen as vocalist. Active pallbearers will be Don’s grandchildren: Taylor Klinkel, Michaela Evans, Kortney Klinkel, Geoff Bohn, Jeremy Olson and Ryan Olson. The service will be live-streamed via the Crawford-Osthus website.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 PM at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in De Smet, SD.

Burial will take place at De Smet Cemetery at a later date.

Don was born in Clark, SD, to Benjamin and Floy (Brady) Bohn on October 14, 1933. He grew up on a farm outside of Bristol, SD, and graduated from Webster High School in 1951. After graduation he attended and graduated from SDSU. Don taught Vocational Ag in Hudson, SD, for a year before joining the Soil Conservation in the fall of 1956. He worked in De Smet, Britton and Plankinton before returning to De Smet to finish his career. Don retired from SCS in 1990, and worked for several years as the custodian at the American Lutheran Church where he served as president of the congregation as well as several other offices throughout the years. Health reasons caused Don and Charmaine to sell their beloved home in De Smet and move to assisted living in Sioux Falls, SD.

Don married his high school sweetheart, Charmaine Waller, on October 18, 1953. They shared nearly 70 years of marriage. From this union they were blessed with three children, Randy (LaVonne) Bohn, De Smet, SD; Danita (Mike) Klinkel, Spearfish, SD, and Douglas Bohn; six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Don loved his family very much and loved spending time with them.

Throughout his life, Don was extremely active in the community. He was a volunteer fireman and ambulance crew member, FFA Advisor, member of the Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Kingsbury County Country Club. Don served on the De Smet Hospital Board as well as the Laura Ingalls Wilder Board and was elected to the City Council. He was an active and devoted member of the American Lutheran Church. Don loved music and was instrumental in starting the Gospel Four Quartet; they sang at various churches and events in the 70’s and 80’s and even made a couple albums. He sang in church choir and also enjoyed playing various parts in De Smet’s Community Theater. He was an avid sports fan! Prior to De Smet, he announced Legion baseball, ran the clock for high school basketball as well as chain for football. Upon moving back to De Smet, he became the Bulldogs’ biggest fan, never missing an event. He kept the official scorebook for basketball, announced football as “The voice of the Bulldogs” for several years and was honored to receive the Bulldog Booster of the Year. Don loved to visit and spent many mornings at Wards Store with his wife and the breakfast crew.

Survived by and grateful to have shared his life are his family, sister-in-law, Wanda Helland; brothers-in-law: Arnold Helland and Robert Myers; nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother, son Douglas, wife Charmaine and sister-in-law Velda Myers.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel                                                             www.crawfordosthus.com

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