Donald Taveirne

DONALD EMIL TAVEIRNE was born April 2, 1931 to Albert and Emma (DeSmet) Taveirne in Grandview Township in Lyon County near Ghent, Minnesota. He was baptized, received first communion, and was confirmed at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent. He attended country school District 12, winning the Lyon County Spelling Bee Championship in eighth grade. He worked on the farm helping his dad, and held various jobs, working at the Co-op filling station and at Middleton Furniture Store in Marshall, Minnesota. In 1951 he was drafted and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1953 and returned to Ghent to start farming with the help of neighbor Camill Noyes. On June 6, 1955 Don married Lorraine Marczak at St. John Cantius Catholic Church in Wilno, Minnesota. The couple was blessed with five children and 57 years of life together. They purchased their own farm near Russell, Minnesota in 1960 where they raised crops and fed many cattle. They built a new house in Tyler but continued to farm and feed cattle until 1996. After retiring he helped his sons on the farm until 2011 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. That and other health problems led to his entering McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on June 27 of this year and then to the Hospice Room at Tyler Healthcare Center on July 19. There, on Sunday, July 22, 2012 Donald died at the age of 81 years, 3 months, and 20 days.

Don was a member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler, where he had served on the Cemetery Board. He was a member of A.C. Hansen American Legion Post #185 of Tyler. He enjoyed his life work of feeding cattle and farming with his two sons, and liked to watch polka dancing, play cards, garden, and grow trees. He especially enjoyed time spent with Lorraine, his children, and his grandchildren.

Don is lovingly remembered by his wife, Lorraine; his children, Greg (and Kathy) Taveirne of Russell, Minnesota, Kathy (and Doug) Schwantes of Ogilvie, Minnesota, Linda Jenniges of Marshall, Minnesota, Daniel (and Pat) Taveirne of Russell, Minnesota, and Danelle Taveirne (and Paul Bernardy) of Garvin, Minnesota; 17 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandson; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Lawrence, Louis, Edward, and Edmund Taveirne; and step-granddaughter Diana.