Burmeister, Don D.

Don D. Burmeister, 84, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, at Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton. A Celebration of Life service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, at Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vinton, with Pastor Mark C. Urlaub officiating. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time at the church on Saturday. Inurnment will be in Dysart Cemetery, Dysart.

Don was born Sept. 4, 1929, in Elberon, Iowa, the son of Henry and Minnie Selk Burmeister. He attended country school in Dysart. On Jan. 20, 1948, Don was united in marriage with Helen Madera at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.

Don farmed for 25 years. For the next 25 years, he owned D & H Trucking and logged over 1 million accident-free miles hauling refrigerated goods throughout the United States. He retired in 1992.

He was a member of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vinton for 50+ years. He enjoyed fishing and spending time in their mobile home in Minnesota. He also enjoyed playing cards and wintering in Texas and Arizona.

Don is survived by his wife of 65 years, Helen Burmeister of Vinton; one son, Gary (Dana) Burmeister of Mount Auburn; two daughters, Donna (Dick) Kruckenberg of Vinton and Linda (Craig) Anderson of Cedar Rapids; one sister, Evelyn Greenwood of Vinton; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Melvin Burmeister in infancy and Keith Burmeister; one sister, Arlene Forrest; and one great-grandson, Jacob, in infancy.

A memorial fund has been established.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Don and his family. You may leave condolences at www.vsrfh.com.

Published Dec. 31, 2013 in The Gazette