Donald Arthur Dibble

Donald Arthur Dibble, D.A.D., age 77, passed away suddenly on December 19, 2025 in Edina, MN.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 13th, 2026, at Morningside Hills United Church of Christ, 4201 Morningside Rd, Edina, MN, 55416, where Don was an active member. A visitation will start at 1:00pm, followed by a memorial service at 2:00pm.

Don is survived by his wife Barbara “Bobbie” (Kuledge) Dibble; daughters Sarah Dibble and Abbey Dibble; grandson Daniel Dibble; and his siblings Kath Saterbak and Chuck Dibble. Don is preceded in death by his parents Shirley (Trepanier) and Jerry Dibble; his brother Tom Dibble; and his niece Deanna Dibble West.

Don was born to Jerry and Shirley Dibble on Friday August 13, 1948 in Edina, the youngest of four children, and given the name ‘Donald Arthur’ by his sister Kath. A proud Edina Morningside resident, he often spoke fondly of his idyllic upbringing in the close-knit community. Don graduated from Edina High School in 1966, and attended Sioux Falls College for one year before joining the United States Navy.

The Navy took Don around the world on the USS Ranger aircraft carrier, including time in Hawaii and Japan, and he was honorably discharged after serving four years. Following his time in the service, Don returned to Minnesota and began working in construction. In 1973 a project took his crew to Crosslake, Minnesota, and one night while out on the town at The Exchange, a “tall blonde” caught his eye and agreed to a dance. Two weeks later, he called Barb to see if she wanted to wish him a happy birthday, and that was the start of their life together.

Barb managed to convince Don to join her on backpacking trips in locations such as the Boundary Waters for a few years until it became time to settle down and have kids. Sarah made them a family in November of 1980, with Abbey following in May of 1984.

One of the cornerstones of Don’s personality was a commitment to working hard. He had numerous jobs in construction, concrete work, and custodial engineering, but made a career in Public Works at the City of Edina. In the summer he worked on his farmer’s tan while patching roads, and in the winter he woke up as early as necessary to keep the streets of the city plowed, even if that prevented his daughters and their classmates from enjoying a snow day here and there. He was a proud member of the Local 49ers International Union of Operating Engineers, even serving as a shop steward for some time, representing his fellow union members in the Street Department.

This commitment to being involved carried over to his church life. As a member of Creek Valley Baptist Church for many decades, Don participated in choir and later the praise band, and kept up the grounds and softball field. He was the congregational representative on the Creek Valley softball team, and enjoyed many years as both a player and coach. Several years ago, Don returned to his old neighborhood and became a member of the congregation at Morningside Hills United Church of Christ.

In January 2006, Don and Barb relocated to Normandy House Apartments in Edina as a way to downsize. Over nearly 20 years in the building, they saw some of the biggest events of their lives. While Don retired from the City, he also became the building caretaker. Barb officially retired, various family members moved into the building including their daughter Sarah, and they helped build a wonderful supportive community with their neighbors. Don and Barb’s favorite event from that time was most certainly the arrival of their grandson Daniel in 2009. Nana and Papa loved having the opportunity to see Daniel every single day and help raise him, and Don would proudly share his “Daniel Day Brightener” stories with anyone he ran into. They grew into close companions, as Don happily became Daniel’s personal shuttle around town, including daily trips to school and the gym, sharing his wisdom and stories along the way. In the NH years, Don and Barb also gained two grandpups, Greta and Mason.

Anyone who knew Don was aware that he was a sports guy. He was an avid Twins, Vikings, North Stars (then later Wild), and Edina Hornet hockey fan. He instilled this same love of sports in his daughter Abbey, and while she didn’t become a star athlete herself, they enjoyed countless hours attending sporting events together. No matter the company, however, a sports outing or viewing would not be complete without a call to his brother Chuck to discuss the finer points of the contest. Don’s sport of choice was golf. While his family has no idea how much time he spent on a golf course, they know it was a lot. Most often it was a quick round after work, but Don also had the opportunity to participate in cousin golf road trips, and managed to turn family reunions in Colorado into golf getaways.

Don’s strongest trait was his outgoing personality. Like many in his family, he never met a stranger and couldn’t help himself from starting up a conversation or cracking a joke to whoever was nearby. He couldn’t help making a funny face at a little kid, or imitating a squeaker toy around dogs. His welcoming and warm spirit drew people in, and it’s no surprise to anyone that he knew a lot of people.

Giver of All Gifts, we know that we are called to let go of what we have and follow you. We are called to live in such a way that everyone has enough. When we find ourselves with more than we need, call us to give. When we find ourselves with less than we need, nudge us to ask for help. May our gifts of time, talent, treasure, and prayer always be used to care for your creation. Amen.