Donald Victor Ward

Donald Ward – Lanesboro Town Historian

Donald Victor Ward, longtime Lanesboro resident and the unofficial “town historian” passed away October 13, 2018  at his senior living home in Onalaska, Wisconsin. He was 99 years old. He was the son of Merlin and Aleda (Blagsvedt) Ward, also longtime Lanesboro residents.

Donald lived in Lanesboro on and off for 70 years. He was born in Amherst Township in Fillmore County on September 12, 1919.  He attended school in Lanesboro, graduating from Lanesboro High School in 1938.  While in high school Donald and his brothers were active on the highly successful Lanesboro HS football, baseball, and basketball teams.  In addition, Donald was the Captain of the 1937 football championship team which was unbeaten and unscored upon.

The day after graduating from high school, Donald’s dad told him and his brother Howard Ward it was time to start on a construction project.  This began a fifty-year career in construction activities of various kinds in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.

In 1940, Donald and his brother, Bill  traveled to Angola, Indiana to Tri-State College and began a course of study in civil engineering. The study was interrupted by the start of World War II. Donald was drafted in August of 1942 and reported to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia where he took his basic training.  In May of 1943, Donald was selected to go to the Corps of Engineers Officer Training School again at Ft. Belvoir.  After graduating he was assigned to the 923rd Aviation Engineers located at Eglin Field (now Eglin AFB) in Florida. He was one of six officers who then deployed to England with a unit largely made up of African American troops.  They built airfields and repaired runways for about a year prior to deploying to France shortly after the D-Day invasion.   Donald returned to the United States, Geiger Field, Washington, in December 1944, and his unit trained for deployment to the Pacific theater.   Prior to their deployment, the war ended in September 1945 and Donald was discharged in November.

Donald returned to Lanesboro and he and Howard continued in the road construction business for just under a decade before selling the business.  Donald went on to work for the U.S. Postal Service before joining the Corps of Engineers in 1966.  He retired from the Corps in 1981.  He then began a decade long business with his wife Alene, running Studio Antiques located on Parkway in downtown Lanesboro in the historic Bue Studio Building. He resided in Lanesboro until 2008 before moving with Alene to a senior citizen facility in Onalaska, Wisconsin.

Throughout his life, Donald was an avid historian and he particularly devoted his energy to   recording the history of Lanesboro.  He amassed an enormous collection of photos, letters, memorabilia, newspaper clippings and other artifacts related to Lanesboro and Fillmore County. He was a driving force in the creation of the Lanesboro Historical Preservation Association which runs the Lanesboro History Museum.  Many of the exhibits at the museum were donated by Don over a two-decade period including his great uncle’s wife’s wedding dress in which she was married in Lanesboro in the 19th century.   He also donated many pictures and glass negatives to both the Lanesboro and Fillmore County Museum in Fountain, Minnesota.  Donald was also the co-author of a book on the history of Lanesboro,  titled Lanesboro, Minnesota, Historical Destination,  published in 2002.

Donald was active in community activities, including the museums, the American Legion Post 40 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Lanesboro.  He also recorded performances of the Commonweal Theater which he has donated to the theater. Donald was always helpful to visitors to Lanesboro, frequently engaging them in discussions about the history of the city and places to visit. He and several close friends known as the “Rusty Five” met for over two decades to drink coffee and swap stories.   Don was also a prolific blood donor and received recognition from the State of Minnesota for his donations.

Donald was preceded in death  by his wife of 63 years, Alene, in 2010, and siblings Howard, William, Alan, and Marjorie.  He is survived by his daughters Patricia Feidler of Hudson, WI., and Kay Evenson of Onalaska, as well as four grandsons, Alex and William Feidler and Jonathan and David Burns and nine great grandchildren.

The Funeral Service for Donald will be 11:00 AM Thursday, October 18, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church with Pastor Pastor Kerry Eversol officiating.  The committal service with Military Funeral  Honors accorded by Lanesboro American Legion Post # 40 will follow at the Lanesboro Cemetery.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that any memorials be given to the Lanesboro History Museum.

Johnson-Riley Funeral Home in Lanesboro is assisting the family with arrangements.  To share a condolence with the family please visit www.rileyfuneralhomes.com.

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