Donald Dingel

A funeral service for Donald Dingel, age 89, of Lake Park, will be held Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the Ocheyedan Methodist Church in Ocheyedan. Burial will be at the Ocheyedan Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 22, after 3:00 PM with the family present from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Ocheyedan Methodist Church. Donald E. Dingel, 89, of Lake Park, passed away in Spirit Lake on Saturday, February 18, 2017. Don was born on December 17, 1927 in Sanborn, Iowa to Henry and Clara (Protextor) Dingel as the 7th of seven children. Don graduated from Sibley High School in 1945. Don served in the U.S. Navy from December 1945 to October 1947, primarily on the USS Enoree, an oil tanker. Don was aboard the USS Enoree when it participated in the observation of an atomic bomb test on Bikini Atoll in 1946. Don was an active member of the USS Enoree reunion group. A long time Osceola County resident, Don married Patricia Timmons on August 28, 1949. Don and Pat farmed near Ocheyedan and Harris, Iowa until Don's retirement at age 67, raising purebred Hampshire and Spotted Poland China hogs, sheep, chickens and cattle. Don also served for many years as a substitute rural mail carrier out of the Ocheyedan Post Office. Don and Pat moved from the farm to their Silver Lake (Lake Park) home in 1977. An avid card player, Minnesota Twins fan, golfer, pool player, fisherman, square dancer (Turkey Trotters club) and RV camper, Don and Pat greatly enjoyed being "Winter Texans" from 1985 to 2016. Don also enjoyed travel (both domestic and international) and using his scroll saw to create wooden design pieces. Don was active in the community as a 4H leader and as a long-time member of the Ocheyedan Methodist Church, co-op elevator board and American Legion and the Silver Lake Country Club in Lake Park. Donald is survived by his wife, Pat, and children Dennis (Barb), James (Janet), Sandra (Mike), Judith (Steve) and Brian (Lori), his sister Evelyn and his brother Henry. Don is also survived by 17 grandchildren: (Dennis) Brent, Jason, Greg and Tyler; (James) Jonathan and Joshua; (Sandra) Sarah, Katie, Michaela; (Judith) Brandon and Derek; and (Brian) Courtney, Ashley, Brody, Jinni, Jonna and Brant. Don, aka "Super Poppa," is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren: Peyton, Riley, Carter, Drew, Addalynne, Brecken, Ariana, Lorelai, Bradley, Tate, Rachael, Veronica and Julie. Don was preceded in death by his brother Kenneth Dingel, sisters Helen Fettes, Vivian Talmadge and Clara Gadd and granddaughter Carrie Ann Dingel.