Donald W. Dahnert

So God Made Donald: An Obituary for Donald William Dahnert
And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker. One who will wake before the dawn and not quit until the last chore is done. One whose boots are muddy and whose handshake is honest." - Paul Harvey
So God made a Farmer.
And that Farmer was Donald William Dahnert.
Donald, known simply as "Farmer Don" to his community, closed his eyes for the last time on November 8th, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. He was just two months shy of his 81st birthday.
He arrived on this earth on January 9th, 1945, in Fort Atkinson, WI, the son of William E. Dahnert and Amanda (Maasz) Dahnert. He was baptized on April 8th, 1945, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Whitewater, WI, with Henry and Dorothy Hamer serving as his sponsors.
He lived over 75 years on his farm and home on Bark River Road, Fort Atkinson. Don was farming as soon as his dad could prop him up on the Ford-Ferguson and the "Little Grey Fergie" tractors, his young leg straining to push down the clutch pedal. Tractor driving and operating machinery became second nature, the rhythmic pulse of the engine the soundtrack to his life.
Don was a man of the earth, a visionary whose methods were rooted in respect for the soil. A devoted member of MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association), Don worked hundreds of acres, all certified organic, growing corn, soybeans, hay, oats, and small grains. He didn't just farm; he was a steward, an experimenter, a collaborator with the land. His experimentation with cover crops and "green manure" led to the Albert Lea Seed company producing a cover crop blend locally known as "Donny Mix." He was a quiet teacher, sharing his knowledge and camaraderie with friends like Joe Carnes at Frank's Organic Feed Mill and the wider organic farming community. Local organic seminars would often convene at his farm to study the health of his soils and the remarkably low soil compaction he achieved.
A Farmer needs help, and Don was fortunate to find it. As the seasons turned, he was blessed with the return of life-long farm boy friends Larry Draeger and David Ebbert, who helped sustain what became known as "Donny's Sustainable Organic Farm." Many other close friends would come by, enjoying the "farm therapy" of putting in some tractor driving time, finding peace in the long days of field work.
And though his days were long, he always had kind words and a moment to spare. He was the kind of man who would stop his work to show neighborhood kids his tractors, let them sit in the seats, and listen to the engines. -a testament to his instructive laid-back style. He could always be relied upon to find those precious "small square" bales of straw, marsh hay, or horse hay for those in need of feed for their pets, horses and small farm animals.
Beyond the fields, Don was fortunate to share his life with a very special friend, Nancy Harris, and her daughters; Pamela (Jeff) Cloute, Michelle Harris, and Valerie Harris, they became a cherished part of his world.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents, William and Amanda, a nephew Jason, and a sister in-law Bonnie.
He leaves behind a loving family: a sister, Arlene (James) Laatsch and a brother Dean Dahnert; a nephew Marlowe Laatsch and two nieces, Marla (Dan) Johnson and Brigitta (Nathan) Brickl, and great niece Briann Brickl.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026, 9:00am-12:00 pm with a time for reflection and stories of Don's life beginning at 11:00am at Dunlap Memorial Home 604 S Main St, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Jefferson County Cancer Coalition- PO Box 448, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. https://jeffersoncountycancercoalition.org/.
Donny will be missed by all who knew him and worked alongside him. But the legacy of "Farmer Don" is etched into the quiet strength of the fields he nurtured-a testament to a good life well lived in harmony with the earth.
He taught us that a farmer's work is never truly done, but a good farmer knows when it is time to rest.
www.DunlapMemorialHome.com