Donald C. Kuehl

Donald Charles Kuehl was born on June 16, 1936 to Charles and Arlene (Otkin) Kuehl in Moody County, South Dakota. His family moved to a farm outside of Verdi, Minnesota, where he and his eight siblings grew up. Don attended and graduated from the Verdi High School in 1955. In his younger years, Don took up hunting and fishing; two activities that started out as hobbies but quickly grew to become major pillars throughout the rest of his life. In 1957, shortly after high school, Don enlisted in the Army National Guard. He proudly served in Hawaii as a tele-type operator until he was honorably discharged in 1960. He enjoyed his time in Hawaii, checking out the local fishing and even learning some of the language. On July 16, 1966 Don was united in marriage to the love of his life, Phyllis Pederson, at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Milroy, Minnesota. They chose this date because according to Don, ‘the fish don’t bite in July’. Their marriage was blessed with the birth of their three daughters, Donna, Deborah and Julie. Don’s family was the absolute light of his life, he went to the ends of the earth to protect and love them. He poured his love into his family any chance he could, whether it was making sure he purchased cars small enough that Phyllis was comfortable driving them, to checking in often with his daughters even after they were married!

Don was a hardworking and honest man. He was known for being a ‘legal beagle’, always making sure all the rules of hunting and fishing were being followed. He wore many hats during his life. In his earlier days he was a milk truck driver for the Lake Benton Creamery - he was once offered a job with the Associated Milk Producers, Inc. but he turned it down because he didn’t want to make his family move. Don was a distinguished employee for the Verdi School, where he worked as a janitor and as a bus driver. He took great pride in his work at the school. Throughout his many years there, he became an unofficial counselor to the students. He had a way of making everyone he spoke with feel safe. There was a sign in the lounge at the school that said “Don’s Dump”, a place where students were able to sit down with him and talk about life while having a Diet Pepsi. Don also played on an adult league softball team and was a training instructor for gun safety classes in Verdi. When Don wasn’t working, fishing, or hunting, he could be found working on his yard, gardening or tending to his potato patch. Don passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone, Minnesota, at the the age of 88 years, three months and two days. The absence of Don’s larger than life personality will be felt deeply by those who had the privilege to know him. The memory of him will live on in the hearts of his family and friends. 

Don is lovingly remembered by his wife of 58 years, Phyllis Kuehl of Verdi, Minnesota; his daughters, Donna (Bruce) Marr of Tyler, Minnesota, Deborah (Dudley) Houselog of Ward, South Dakota, Julie (Pete) Baumberger of Dell Rapids, South Dakota; grandchildren, Whitney Houselog, Kylie Weeder, Kenzie Storment, Zach Marr, Bridgette Baumberger, Jesse Baumberger, Wyatt Baumberger, Liza Marr; great-grandchildren, Brooks Weeder, Maddyn Weeder, Landon Weeder, Ella Storment, Ivy Storment, Violet Storment and Lucy Storment; and siblings, Dorthy Henningsen of Verdi, Marion Goertz of Lake Benton, Minnesota, Robert Kuehl of Lake Benton; and sister-in-law, Eva Jean Bowman of Milroy, Minnesota. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Arlene Kuehl; brothers, Milo “Hank” Kuehl and Richard “Dick” Kuehl; sisters, Evelyn Clark, Marge Selken, Carol Nelson; brothers-in-law, Roger Nelson and Walt Henningsen; and nephews, Chuck Kuehl, Emmett Kuehl, and Kelly Selken.