Donald Halvorson

Donald E. Halvorson, age 93, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Monday morning, July 13, 2020 at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 18, 2020 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Peter Kowitz officiating. Inurnment will be in Hauge Lutheran Cemetery in rural Decorah. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church. Donald Ernest Halvorson was born on March 18, 1927 in Canoe Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, the son of Hans and Mabel (Rustad) Halvorson. He was baptized June 5, 1927 and confirmed November 2, 1941 at Hauge Lutheran Church. He attended rural schools in Canoe and Frankville Township. He started farming with his father. Donald was united in marriage to June Evelyn Barth on August 30, 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. To this union four children were born: Elaine, Charles, Darlene, and Gary. They farmed on ten different farms over the years, all in Winneshiek County. He was a member of Hauge Lutheran Church for many years and later Hesper Lutheran Church, Calmar Lutheran Church, where he was on the church council, and then Decorah Lutheran Church. He later attended Des Moines Area Community College and was awarded a certificate of completion for lawn and turf school on March 3, 1984. He then worked for eleven years at South Winn Golf and Country Club in Calmar and then at Oneota Golf and Country Club in Decorah for 20 years as groundskeeper, on the grounds crew. Donald was a perfectionist in all aspects of his life, including working on the farm and at the golf courses. He was a people person and liked being around people, laughing and smiling. Donald became a resident at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah in May 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons: Charles D. Halvorson on September 28, 2004 and Gary R. Halvorson on June 6, 2018; three sisters: Ruth (Ray) Strub, Edna (Vince) Strub and Margaret (Virgil) Stortz; and one brother, Orlando (Hap) (Olga) Halverson. Donald is survived by his wife of 70 years, June; two daughters: Elaine (Tom) Livezey of Greenville, TX and Darlene (Dennis) Gibson of Pittsburg, TX; two daughters-in-law: Louann (Mark) Ptacek of Lawler, IA and Jacqueline Halvorson of Shreveport, LA; seven grandchildren: Scott (LaTifini) Livezey of Mt. Pleasant, TX, Jennifer (Donald) Hooker of The Colony, TX, Charles (Tiffany) Halvorson Jr. of Washington, IA, Louann “Tweety” (Joe) Rilling of Decorah, Solomon (Rachel) Halvorson of Des Moines, IA, Uriah (Jordan) Halvorson and Andrew (Andrea) Halvorson of La Crosse, WI; six great-grandchildren: Lexie Hooker, Charlie, Johannah and Isaiah Halvorson, and Emma and Gunnar Rilling; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago St., Decorah, IA 52101 or Hauge Lutheran Church, 3147 Middle Hesper Road, Decorah, IA 52101.