Obituary of Don Sawyer

A funeral service will be held Friday, April 11, 2014 at 10:30am at First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday, April 10th after 3:00pm with the family present from 5:00-7:00pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Carroll Don Sawyer, the son of Spencer and Lela (Ferguson) Sawyer, was born in Urbana, Iowa on August 18, 1923. In the spring of 1924, they moved to a 320 acre farm west of Estherville, Iowa. Don grew up there and attended Estherville School, graduating in 1942. He married Lorene Shultz on January 29, 1944. They began farming near Lily Lake in 1944 and raised three children. They lived on four farms over forty-three years all within two miles of the Lily Lake Farm. During that time, Don drove a school bus for twenty years for Spirit Lake and Lorene drove a station wagon for five years picking up kindergarteners. Don belonged to the Presbyterian Church, Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star. He enjoyed playing cards, bowling and traveling with the camping trailer. He also worked for ASC checking corn in steel bins and measuring farm ground. Later, he worked for Brooks Golf Course for twelve years and then at Arnolds Park for six years operating rides. He couldn't have done all this without some help from his wife, Lorene. Don passed away April 7, 2014 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, Iowa at ninety years of age. He is survived by daughters, Connie Hartwig (Ronny), Donita Sawyer (Larry); son, Kelvin Sawyer (Judy); nine grandchildren; fourteen great-children and one on the way; one great-great-grandchild; sister-in-law, LeAnna Boers; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lorene; infant daughter, Loretta; five brothers and two sisters, Carl, Calvin, Lela Belle, Willard, Arzelia, J.D. and Verdae.