Donald Earl Ferch, 94

Published 7:30 am Saturday, July 8, 2017

Donald Earl Ferch, 94, of Austin, Minnesota, died Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at Mayo Clinic Health System – Austin.

Ferch

He was born July 30, 1922, in Waterville, Minnesota, the son of Erry and Vera (Davison) Ferch. Following graduation from Waterville High School in 1940, Donald married Myrles Dimmel on April 20, 1942, in Janesville, Minnesota. The couple raised four sons. Don served his country during World War II in the U.S. Navy from 1942 until his honorary discharge in 1945. Following his service in the Navy, he made his living as a laborer for Hormel Foods Corporation, retiring in 1984. Don was a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Austin, where he was a church elder, a church council member and usher, and a fifth grade Sunday school teacher. He was a member of the Austin Country Club for 46 years, where he loved to golf. Don will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Survivors include his four sons, Dennis Ferch (Nancy Janke) of Owatonna, Minnesota, Ronald (Debbie) Ferch of Austin, Randall (Leah) Ferch of Vancouver, Washington, and Craig (Jodie) Ferch of Austin; 14 grandchildren, Scott Ferch, Michael Ferch, Jon Ferch, Kristoffer Ferch, Dillon Ferch, Tesa Horstmann, Adam Ferch, Rachel Hellsvig, Jordan Ferch, Amy Bishop, Bethany Kraske, Brittney May, Blake Michaelsen, and Aja Keith; and 21 great-grandchildren. Don was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Myrles Ferch in 2011; his grandson, Jason Ferch in February 2017; his granddaughter, Alisa Ferch in April 1978; his brother, Gordon (Ethel) Ferch; his daughter-in-law, Drucilla Ferch; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 2103 Eighth St. SW in Austin with the Rev. Dean Gunn officiating.  Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery with military honors by American Legion Post 91 and VFW Post 1216. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 10, at Worlein Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Memorials can be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association or Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church. Services prearranged and performed by Worlein Funeral Home of Austin.  Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.