Don Delaney

FRANCIS DONOVAN DELANEY was born to James and Frances (Haubrich) Delaney on October 13, 1922 on the family farm in Grange Township of Pipestone County, Minnesota where he was raised and attended country school. He continued his education at Pipestone High School. After his graduation in 1942, he helped his family on the farm. On October 1, 1946, he entered the U.S. Army and served in Occupied Japan. After his discharge from the service on January 1, 1948, he returned to the family farm. In 1955, he began training for the position of Director of the Agriculture Soil Conservation Service and officially became the Director in November, 1955. On April 28, 1962, he was united in marriage to Joan Breuer at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, they lived in Pipestone and Don continued to work for the ASCS until his retirement on April 2, 1990. After he retired, he enjoyed working part-time for Pipestone Publishing for over ten years. He became a resident of Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone in 2003. On June 19, 2008, his wife preceded him in death. After her death, Don continued to live in Pipestone. On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, Don died in Pipestone at the age of 89 years, eight months and 21 days.

Don was a lifetime member of St. Leo Catholic Church where he was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. For many years, he served on the board at the Pipestone County Museum and volunteered with the Pipestone County Ambulance Association. Following his retirement, he became an active member of the Democratic Party. He served on the advisory board for the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone for several terms. He was also a member of the Pipestone Indian Shrine Association. He was an avid Twins fan. He enjoyed playing cards, especially Canasta every afternoon at Ridgeview. He loved his grandchildren, and he was proud of each of them. He looked forward to the cards and pictures they would send him.

He is lovingly remembered by his three children, Brad Delaney and his wife Lori of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and their children, Kaci, Erin and Lysa, Mark Delaney and his wife Jennifer of Columbus, Nebraska, and their children, Sabrina, Nathan and Natalie, and Erin Delaney and her husband Shamus O’Meara of St. Paul, Minnesota, and their children, Conor, Patrick and Rory; his sisters-in-law, Pat Schoeneman of Pipestone, Minnesota, and Coleen Delaney of Pipestone, Minnesota; and his brothers-in-law, Gil Breuer and his wife Barb of Granite Falls, Minnesota, and Mark Breuer and his wife Donna of Howard, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; and his brother, James Bernard Delaney.

Memorials may be directed to Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone or St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone.