Douglas D. Mielitz

Doug Mielitz, age 66 of Watertown, SD, passed away on January 9, 2025, at his residence.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Watertown. Rev. Sara McManus will officiate. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 15, at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank, beginning at 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Thursday, one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Mound Cemetery, Ortonville, MN.

The service will be live streamed, recorded, and viewable below this obituary.

Honorary bearers will be Doug’s nieces, nephews, and the Roadhouse coffee crew. The organist will be Lesa Dahl.

Douglas Donald Mielitz was born on December 5, 1958, in Ortonville, MN. He was the son of Donald and Marilynn (Milbrandt) Mielitz. Doug’s brothers loved to tease that he was actually found under the lettuce leaves in the garden. Doug grew up on the family farm in the Rosen, MN, area. He graduated from Bellingham High School with the Class of 1977. He was united in marriage with Katherine Grimm on July 10, 2015, in Watertown, SD.

Doug was a true farmer at heart, growing up in a farming family. He began farming with his father and later farmed with his brothers. He was always eager to skip school to help out on the farm. When he wasn’t active on the farm, Doug was an over-the-road truck driver, mainly hauling cattle. He loved old tractors and was very active with the Twin Brooks Threshing Show. He served as president of the event for many years. He especially enjoyed the tractor pulls and restoring antique tractors. He also did custom silage cutting with his brothers.

Life was never boring for Doug and those around him. Every day was an adventure full of laughs and malarkey. He had an infectious sense of humor, usually finding himself to be the funniest. He loved his family and enjoyed a very joyous and close relationship with his siblings. He was always a gentleman when it came to his wife, Kathy. He opened doors for her and put her first. He had a loving and caring heart. He was a faithful member of First United Methodist Church and prayed daily. His brothers chuckle that Doug had more lives than a cat! He had a heavy foot when he drove and was in several accidents. He usually came out okay and had a good story to tell.

He and Kathy enjoyed a trip to Alaska in 2023, which was Doug’s first time flying. He enjoyed every minute of the flight! He enjoyed visiting with his coffee buddies, sometimes twice a day. He had a soft spot in his heart for pets and loved having a cat or two in the house. He also was an avid hunter.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Kathy of Watertown, SD; siblings: Richard “Dick” (Tammy) Mielitz of Big Stone City, SD; Jonathan “Jay” (Myra) Mielitz of Big Stone City, SD; and; Cynthia “Cindy” (Tim) Henrich of Rosen, MN; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Gerald and Lois Grimm of Milbank, SD; brothers-in-law: Lonnie Grimm of Aberdeen, SD; Greg Grimm of Milbank, SD; sister-in-law, Ginger (Keith) Kaas of Wentworth, SD; uncles: Rudy (Jo) Milbrandt of San Benito, TX; and Ronnie Pinkert of Big Stone City, SD; as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Watertown Humane Society or Heifer International.