Funeral services for Donald Bartness will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2014 at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Richland. The Reverend Paul Andree will officiate. Visitation will be from 4-7 on Wednesday at the Friedrich Funeral Chapel New Richland, and again one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Hartland Cemetery. Military honors will be accorded by the New Richland American Legion.
Donald passed away on October 12, 2014 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Albert Lea. He was 88 years old.
Donald was born on March 30, 1926 to Martin and Minnie (Johnson) in Bath Township. Don attended District 8 country schools. After his schooling he helped out on the family farm. He later enlisted in the United States Army in 1945. He was a member of the 77th Division and was a paratrooper in the Army. Following his honorable discharge, Don was united in marriage to Jean Meyer. To this union, one child was born. The couple later divorced.
Don worked for Wilsons in Albert Lea after his military service. A short time later, he wanted to work in the Auto Body Industry. He started working for a local shop, and soon after, he ran his own auto body shop. His career took him to the Twin Cities, where he continued working for Freeway Ford. He also worked as an auto body mechanic when he moved to Lake Wales, FL.
Don was a member and past commander for the American Legion in New Richland. He was a member of the Eagles Club in Albert Lea. Don was currently a member of Trinity Lutheran church in New Richland.
Don truly enjoyed life and the people he met. He enjoyed fishing, motorcycle rides, traveling to different lutefisk dinners around the area, and putting together old greyhound buses, and loved traveling with the Good Sams Club. He also assembled bicycles as a hobby after retirement. He enjoyed serving meals at the Steak and Fish Fry at the Legion in New Richland. He loved to spend time with his family. He liked to visit and make people laugh. He was truly a caring person.
Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Carole (Michael) Shotts, of Haines City, FL; grandchildren, Eric (Prissy) Conant, Lisa (Michael) Perkins, and Neil (Nahir) Conant; great-grandchildren, Devon Conant, Alyssa Sears, and Ava Perkins; special friend, Elaine Johnson; siblings, Doris (Howard) Sigurdson, of Albert Lea, Merle Bartness, of Ellendale, and Jean (Elvern) Holland, of New Richland; sisters in-law, Ivadel, LaVonne, and Dolores; a brother in-law, Eugene Warke; and many other loving nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Minnie; brothers, Vernon, Carrol, Mervin and Delano; and a sister, Elaine Warke.