Donald "Don" Arends

OTTERTAIL, Minn. - Donald "Don" Arends, 81, Ottertail, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, at his lake home on Ottertail Lake. Don was born Nov. 18, 1927, in Bottineau, N.D., the son of Henry "Hank" and Stella Arends. The family moved to Rapid City, S.D., where he graduated high school and met and married Helen Lorraine Kulesza in 1950. Don worked for Benson Optical for 28 years and after several transfers through South Dakota and Minnesota they settled in Fergus Falls and opened Arends Optical in 1973. Don was a pillar in the Fergus community and participated in several community causes and events. He spent his last years between Ottertail Lake and Surprise, Ariz. Don was a valiant soldier in the Korean War where he received two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star for bravery and saving his entire platoon. Don always enjoyed visiting his daughter, Julie, and her family in Oregon and playing with his grandson, Ian. No matter the title - husband, father, father-in-law, dad, grandpa, uncle or friend, he will remain an Arends family legend. We will miss his jokes, laughs and emails and he will never be forgotten. Don was loved by his family very much and they wouldn't be who they are without him. He was a faithful servant to God, family and friends. Don is survived by four children, Dianna Millard, Michael (Beth) Arends, Nancy Lynn Sangrene (Mark Greenwood) and Julie (Rick) Arends-McCollum; six grandchildren, Matthew (Dena) Millard, Ameila (Chris) Thompson, Maggie (Matthew) Arends-Kulseth, Jessy Arends, Justin (Amanda) Sangrene, and Ian McCollum; five great-grandchildren, Helena, Victoria, Lorelai, Weston, and Brenin; eight sisters, Helen (Phil) Frey, Black Hawk, S.D., Carolyn Steinberg, Glenrock, Wyo., Sena Zoller and Shirley (Terry) Egge, all of Rapid City, Vivian (Jim) Childers, Henderson, Nevada, Marianna Mchlhoff, Clovis, Calif., Mattie Taylor, Gratiot, Mich., and Leetta Arends, Rapid City; brothers and sister-in-laws, Charles (Annette) Kulesza, Rapid City, and Donald (Betty) Anderson, Wall, S.D.; and numerous nephews and nieces. Preceding Don in death are his parents, Henry and Stella; his wife, Helen; and a brother, Kenneth Arends. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at St. Henry's Catholic Church, Perham, with Father Joe Herzing officiating. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, with a 7 p.m. prayer service, at Schoeneberger Funeral Home, Perham. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral at the church. Online tributes may be posted on www.schoenebergerfuneralhome.com.