Donald “Don” Peterson, 80, Long Prairie

April 16, 1942 - August 21, 2022

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, August 29, 2022 at the First Baptist Church in Long Prairie for Donald “Don” Peterson age 80 who died Sunday at the St. Cloud Hospital. Rev. Matt Stacy will officiate and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Long Prairie. Visitation will be from 4-8 PM Sunday, August 28 at the First Baptist Church in Long Prairie and 1 hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes, Stein Chapel in Long Prairie.

Don was born April 16, 1942 in Milbank, SD to Richard and May (Eagan) Peterson. He married Darla Shuck, the love of his life, on December 31, 1961 in Fergus Falls. After getting married, the couple moved to Morris, MN, where Don opened his first cabinet shop. After a few years, Don and Darla moved to the Twin Cities, where Don worked, and attended drafting school. In 1979, Don and Darla moved their family to Long Prairie, where Don managed the local lumber yard, Schmidt’s Building Center. From there, Don went on to building cabinets at Danielson’s Furniture, and from there went on to designing cabinets, and being a traveling salesman for Cabinet Components in Sauk Centre. Don finally retired in May of 2018, and went on to be a greeter at Walmart until March of 2020, when he left, due to Covid.
Don was a loyal Twins and Vikings fan, and enjoyed many conversations with his kids, and grandkids about sports. He also enjoyed planting flowers, and caring for his yard. He was notorious for making friends with complete strangers, and always made people feel valued and welcomed. Don also enjoyed his 30 years as an AWANA Sparky leader, and is often remembered by the kids that he mentored. Don is also remembered for being a jokester, and was even joking with hospital staff up until the day he passed.

He and Darla brought four children into their home through adoption, and he cherished every opportunity to support Melissa, Mitchell, Keisha and Kodell’s (Kip) involvement in sports and other activities. Each of his grandchildren and great grandchildren also held a special place in his heart.

This dedicated husband, father and grandfather will be dearly missed by his wife Darla; daughters Melissa (Brad) Kolstad and Keisha Peterson all of Long Prairie; sons, Mitchell (Sharon) Peterson of Little Falls and Kodell (Rachel) Peterson of Maplewood; his sister Viona Brink of Long Prairie; 11grandchildren (Zachary, Tanner, Brady, Dacotah, Collin, Avalon, Misha, Lola, Bella, Eva, and K.J.), two (with another coming soon) great-grandchildren (Eli and Mateo). In addition to Don and Darla’s immediate family, they have many friends, and their children, who are considered family.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers Glenn and Dean Peterson; sisters, Leona Brink,Myrtle McDonald, Alice Nelson and Peggy Peterson.