Donald “Don” Plante, 65, Fort Ripley

January 14, 1960 - May 14, 2025

Donald Plante, 65 year old resident of Fort Ripley, passed away at his home on Wednesday, May 14 2025. A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, May 20 at 11:00 A.M. at the Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls with Chaplain Gregg Valentine officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the hour of the service on Tuesday. The burial will be held at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls.

Donald Walter Plante was born on January 14, 1960 in St Cloud, MN to Sam and Bernice (Holewa) Plante. He grew up and attended school in Minneapolis until the fifth grade. In 1970 the family purchased a farm near Fort Ripley, MN. Don attended school in Little Falls and graduated with the class of 1978. After high school he served in the United States Army. He entered the United States Army on July 15, 1980 in Minneapolis, MN. Don was honorably discharged on July 15, 1983 at Fort Riley, Kansas. He served in the Minnesota National Guard for the next 20 plus years. After retiring from the military, Don enjoyed farm work, especially hauling sugar beets in northern Minnesota. He enjoyed fishing, his John Deere and Ford tractors, watching sports on TV, taking a good nap, riding dirt bikes, gardening, especially growing hot peppers. Don’s children remember trips to Ely, camping, canoeing, camp fires and tractor rides. His sisters remember late night burgers, playing catch and Don’s quiet demeanor.

Left to cherish his memory are his children, Kayla (Jon Hughes) Taylor of St. Cloud, MN, Jake (Sandy) Plante of Sartell, MN; father, Sam Plante of St. Cloud formerly of Fort Ripley; grandchildren, Isaac Taylor, Blake and Molly Plante; siblings, Valerie (Darrell) Posterick of Little Falls, Mary (Casey) Brechtel of Galveston, TX, Lisa (Robert) Salzberg of Sarasota, FL, Amy (Peter) Sandy of Long Prairie and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Bernice Plante and a brother, Russell Plante.