Donald Wallner

Donald Wallner

Donald Wallner, 81, Bismarck, formerly of Richardton, died Sept. 28, 2008, in a Bismarck care center. Services will be held at noon Friday, Oct. 3, at Church of St. Anne's, Bismarck, with the Rev. Ed Wehner officiating. Burial will be held at 3 p.m. in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Family will be receiving relatives and friends from one hour prior to the service. Cremation has taken place.

Donald Wallner was born in DeSart, in Slope County, near New England, on April 2, 1927, to George and Blanche (Christianson) Wallner. He attended country school until the family moved to New England, where he attended public high school. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served in the Seabees during the tail end of World War II.

Upon his discharge, he returned to New England where he completed high school and married Ann Marie Koppinger in June 1948. He was employed as a parts man for John Deere and later, he was employed by Cenex in New England. In 1960, the family moved to Richardton where Don managed Richardton Cenex, until his retirement in 1992.

He was a member of the American Legion, Lions Club, Volunteer Fire Departments, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Eagles, Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Mary's Parish Council and Richardton Endowment Committee. He also served for a time as president of the Southwestern North Dakota Cenex Managers Association and as a board member for Mandan Transport. He was recognized as KC Knight of the month in May 2007. His favorite leisure time activities included yard work as one of his pride and joy hobbies, bowling at the Richardton Bowling Lanes and visiting friends and his grandsons.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ann Marie; three sons, Tom (Sandy), Bismarck, Jon, Philadelphia, and Pat (Suzie), Scarborough, Maine; three grandsons, Brian, Bismarck, David, Pittsburgh, and Mark, College Park, Md.; one daughter-in-law, Bonnie Wallner, Newark, Del.; three sisters, Arlene Selinger, Mandan, Carol Arntson, Dickinson, and Myrna Brady, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Shirley; his brothers-in-law, George Selinger, Eric Arntson and Bill Brady.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nursing and other staff and volunteers of the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center and Medcenter One Hospice who had taken part in his care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Medcenter One Home Health & Hospice; P.O. Box 580, Bismarck, N.D. 58502-0580.

Go to www.bismarckfuneralhome.com to share memories and view the online guest book.

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