Bertas Funeral Home Web Site
Donald Francis Saunders, age 89, of Watertown, died on Monday, October 12, 2015 at the Elim Home in Watertown, MN. Funeral Service and celebration of the life of Donald will be held on Friday, October 16, 2015. Visitation from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, with a service a 2:00 pm all at Bertas Funeral Home, 200 West Third Street, Chaska, MN.
Donald Francis Saunders was born March 27, 1926 at General Hospital, Minneapolis to Alban and Helen (Holliday) Saunders. He attended the Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis and was baptized in 1940. He graduated with the Class of 1944 from Patrick Henry High School.
Don joined the United States Navy March 29, 1944 and trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. He served 23 months in the South Pacific aboard the USS Vincennes during WWII: Guadalcanal and Okinawa. He was attached to the 1st Marine Division and played trumpet in the Navy Band. He attained the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer and completed his service in 1946.
Don attended the University of Minnesota to study music education and played in the marching band. In 1948, he moved to Duluth to continue college and played trumpet in the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, where he was first chair. He graduated from the University of Duluth in 1949.
Don married Ruthe Saari in 1949 and to this union three children were born: Joel, Jeffrey, and Jacqueline.
Don was band director for Keewatin High School, one of the top ten bands in the state of Minnesota. In 1952 they moved to Long Prairie, MN where Don taught band and choir for three years. During this time, his band toured and entertained in Canada for a week. They then moved to Kent, Ohio for nine years. In 1955 they moved back to Minnesota where he started his own publishing company. Don is survived by his 3 children, all of whom reside in Minnesota: Joel (Susan) Saunders of Minnetrista, Jeffrey of Plymouth and Jacqueline Goettl (Phil) of Rosemount; 12 grandchildren: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James, David, Briana, Kyle and Allison. and special friends: Jessica Pentz of Oliva and Richard Hoeck of Milaca.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Mary Flannelly, Raymond Saunders, Ramona Saunders, Dorothy Armstrong and Jeannine Schwartz.
Honorary pallbearers: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James and David Blood. Also, Kyle, Allison and Briana Saunders (Reenshuler), Richard Hoeck, Craig Peterson and Michael Johnson. Burial will be at Ft. Snelling with full military honors at a later date. [Nov. 12, 2015]
Donald Francis Saunders, age 89, of Watertown, died on Monday, October 12, 2015 at the Elim Home in Watertown, MN. Funeral Service and celebration of the life of Donald will be held on Friday, October 16, 2015. Visitation from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, with a service a 2:00 pm all at Bertas Funeral Home, 200 West Third Street, Chaska, MN.
Donald Francis Saunders was born March 27, 1926 at General Hospital, Minneapolis to Alban and Helen (Holliday) Saunders. He attended the Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis and was baptized in 1940. He graduated with the Class of 1944 from Patrick Henry High School.
Don joined the United States Navy March 29, 1944 and trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. He served 23 months in the South Pacific aboard the USS Vincennes during WWII: Guadalcanal and Okinawa. He was attached to the 1st Marine Division and played trumpet in the Navy Band. He attained the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer and completed his service in 1946.
Don attended the University of Minnesota to study music education and played in the marching band. In 1948, he moved to Duluth to continue college and played trumpet in the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, where he was first chair. He graduated from the University of Duluth in 1949.
Don married Ruthe Saari in 1949 and to this union three children were born: Joel, Jeffrey, and Jacqueline.
Don was band director for Keewatin High School, one of the top ten bands in the state of Minnesota. In 1952 they moved to Long Prairie, MN where Don taught band and choir for three years. During this time, his band toured and entertained in Canada for a week. They then moved to Kent, Ohio for nine years. In 1955 they moved back to Minnesota where he started his own publishing company. Don is survived by his 3 children, all of whom reside in Minnesota: Joel (Susan) Saunders of Minnetrista, Jeffrey of Plymouth and Jacqueline Goettl (Phil) of Rosemount; 12 grandchildren: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James, David, Briana, Kyle and Allison. and special friends: Jessica Pentz of Oliva and Richard Hoeck of Milaca.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Mary Flannelly, Raymond Saunders, Ramona Saunders, Dorothy Armstrong and Jeannine Schwartz.
Honorary pallbearers: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James and David Blood. Also, Kyle, Allison and Briana Saunders (Reenshuler), Richard Hoeck, Craig Peterson and Michael Johnson. Burial will be at Ft. Snelling with full military honors at a later date. [Nov. 12, 2015]
Bertas Funeral Home Web Site
Donald Francis Saunders, age 89, of Watertown, died on Monday, October 12, 2015 at the Elim Home in Watertown, MN. Funeral Service and celebration of the life of Donald will be held on Friday, October 16, 2015. Visitation from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, with a service a 2:00 pm all at Bertas Funeral Home, 200 West Third Street, Chaska, MN.
Donald Francis Saunders was born March 27, 1926 at General Hospital, Minneapolis to Alban and Helen (Holliday) Saunders. He attended the Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis and was baptized in 1940. He graduated with the Class of 1944 from Patrick Henry High School.
Don joined the United States Navy March 29, 1944 and trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. He served 23 months in the South Pacific aboard the USS Vincennes during WWII: Guadalcanal and Okinawa. He was attached to the 1st Marine Division and played trumpet in the Navy Band. He attained the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer and completed his service in 1946.
Don attended the University of Minnesota to study music education and played in the marching band. In 1948, he moved to Duluth to continue college and played trumpet in the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, where he was first chair. He graduated from the University of Duluth in 1949.
Don married Ruthe Saari in 1949 and to this union three children were born: Joel, Jeffrey, and Jacqueline.
Don was band director for Keewatin High School, one of the top ten bands in the state of Minnesota. In 1952 they moved to Long Prairie, MN where Don taught band and choir for three years. During this time, his band toured and entertained in Canada for a week. They then moved to Kent, Ohio for nine years. In 1955 they moved back to Minnesota where he started his own publishing company. Don is survived by his 3 children, all of whom reside in Minnesota: Joel (Susan) Saunders of Minnetrista, Jeffrey of Plymouth and Jacqueline Goettl (Phil) of Rosemount; 12 grandchildren: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James, David, Briana, Kyle and Allison. and special friends: Jessica Pentz of Oliva and Richard Hoeck of Milaca.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Mary Flannelly, Raymond Saunders, Ramona Saunders, Dorothy Armstrong and Jeannine Schwartz.
Honorary pallbearers: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James and David Blood. Also, Kyle, Allison and Briana Saunders (Reenshuler), Richard Hoeck, Craig Peterson and Michael Johnson. Burial will be at Ft. Snelling with full military honors at a later date. [Nov. 12, 2015]
Donald Francis Saunders, age 89, of Watertown, died on Monday, October 12, 2015 at the Elim Home in Watertown, MN. Funeral Service and celebration of the life of Donald will be held on Friday, October 16, 2015. Visitation from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, with a service a 2:00 pm all at Bertas Funeral Home, 200 West Third Street, Chaska, MN.
Donald Francis Saunders was born March 27, 1926 at General Hospital, Minneapolis to Alban and Helen (Holliday) Saunders. He attended the Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis and was baptized in 1940. He graduated with the Class of 1944 from Patrick Henry High School.
Don joined the United States Navy March 29, 1944 and trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. He served 23 months in the South Pacific aboard the USS Vincennes during WWII: Guadalcanal and Okinawa. He was attached to the 1st Marine Division and played trumpet in the Navy Band. He attained the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer and completed his service in 1946.
Don attended the University of Minnesota to study music education and played in the marching band. In 1948, he moved to Duluth to continue college and played trumpet in the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, where he was first chair. He graduated from the University of Duluth in 1949.
Don married Ruthe Saari in 1949 and to this union three children were born: Joel, Jeffrey, and Jacqueline.
Don was band director for Keewatin High School, one of the top ten bands in the state of Minnesota. In 1952 they moved to Long Prairie, MN where Don taught band and choir for three years. During this time, his band toured and entertained in Canada for a week. They then moved to Kent, Ohio for nine years. In 1955 they moved back to Minnesota where he started his own publishing company. Don is survived by his 3 children, all of whom reside in Minnesota: Joel (Susan) Saunders of Minnetrista, Jeffrey of Plymouth and Jacqueline Goettl (Phil) of Rosemount; 12 grandchildren: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James, David, Briana, Kyle and Allison. and special friends: Jessica Pentz of Oliva and Richard Hoeck of Milaca.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Mary Flannelly, Raymond Saunders, Ramona Saunders, Dorothy Armstrong and Jeannine Schwartz.
Honorary pallbearers: Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Jonah, Joshua, Julianna, Johanna, James and David Blood. Also, Kyle, Allison and Briana Saunders (Reenshuler), Richard Hoeck, Craig Peterson and Michael Johnson. Burial will be at Ft. Snelling with full military honors at a later date. [Nov. 12, 2015]
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