Donald Paul Wankum

1937 - 2026

Our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed away peacefully January 15, 2026 after a courageous battle with dementia.

Donald Paul Wankum was born at home October 8, 1937, in Marcus, Iowa and grew up in Marcus. He was a hard-working young man. Mowed yards for 25-cents a yard with a hand reel mower, walked beans, and helped his father Paul grinding corn from sunrise until well after sunset. He hand set bowling pins at the local bowling alley for 5-cents a game. In high school he worked on a local farm milking cows and worked with his uncle Joe Wankum in a garage for 50-cents an hour. He graduated from Holy Name High School in Marcus in 1955. There were only 14 students in his graduating class, 12 of them were boys, only 2 girls.

He was a Boy Scout.

After graduating high school, he went to barber school. After the 6-month program, he became a barber in Marcus, but after a bad crop year and the ensuing tight economy, he was laid off and moved to Merrill, Iowa in March 1957. He worked with “Pop” Rush until 1959 when he joined the Army Reserves. He was in the Reserves for 6 years.

In addition to helping Mart Everly barber on the weekends, he also worked at the Swift meat packing plant. When Swift went on strike, he moved over to the Armory Packing Plant in Sioux City Iowa, all while he and Jeanette raised 4 boys.

In 1961 he leased the barber shop from Mart Eberly and was the Merrill barber until retiring from full time barbering in 1973. He said everyone was growing their hair long, and business was slow. He continued barbering part time Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Don worked for town of Merrill for 4 years as a maintenance man, then worked for Sherlock Plumbing for a year and half before having his first heart attack in 1977. He was only 39 when had heart bypass surgery in Des Moines Iowa.

In 1973 he bought his beloved farm. Raising corn and beans. The farm became a playground for his 4 boys. Hunting, trapping. motorcycles and snowmobile riding , and lots of work transforming the property. For 53 years he worked on his cherished farm, mowing and gardening up until last year when his health began to fail.

In 1976 he and Jeanette bought the “Wankum Inn”. A full-service bar and restaurant. Tragically it was also the year his father Paul died.

After recovering from his heart attack and bypass surgery, he worked road construction before joining the Plymouth County Sheriffs’ officer in 1979. He worked as a dispatcher/jailer for 12 years, retiring in 1991.
He was on the Merrill Town Council for 4 years, reelected but resigning when he went to work for the town in 1972. He helped Merrill celebrate its Centennial in 1973 and after leaving the city maintenance job he was reelected to the town council serving 9 years.

The governor of Iowa presented him with a volunteer award for helping with civic center and senior citizen meals.

He is survived by his 4 sons. Michael (Clair) of Boston, Patrick (Misty) of Hinton, Iowa, Mathew (Margaret) of Merrill and Mark of Lawton, Iowa. 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

He is proceeded in death by his father Paul Wankum, his mother Anna Tschill Wankum of Marcus. His brothers William of Sioux City, and Raymond of Marcus. His sister Mary of Cherokee, and a grandson Caleb.

He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you hug a loved one. A Celebration of Life will take place later this year on his farm.