Donald Leonard Theissen

Northview - North Mankato Mortuary

2060 Commerce Drive

North Mankato, MN 56003

507-388-2288

Donald Leonard Theissen, age 82, of North Mankato, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at Ecumen Pathstone Living after being briefly admitted to hospice care.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m., on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Northview North Mankato Mortuary (2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato) and 1 hour before the funeral at the church. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., on Friday, July 19, 2019 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (525 Grant Avenue, North Mankato).  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Northview – North Mankato Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.

Don was born December 3, 1936 in Mankato, Minnesota to Cecil (Cook) & Margaret (Miller) Theissen.  He graduated from Loyola High School.  On August 9, 1958 he married Louise A. Feeser at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato, where they remained members their entire life.  Don & Louise made their home in North Mankato and raised their family of 5 children there.

Donald was a veteran having served in the U.S. Army and National Guard.  He started as an apprentice and soon became a master mason (brick/block layer) in the union, working mainly for his brother’s company Jerry Theissen Masonry.  Don retired after 40 years in 1998.

Don was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who will be deeply missed by his family and friends.  He enjoyed woodworking and made model airplanes for his children to fly, created beautiful wood cribbage boards, blessed numerous people with his homegrown tomatoes and peppers that he turned into salsa and canned tomatoes.  He created Dandy Don’s Jigs – a hobby that grew out of his love for fishing and the great outdoors.  Don, Louise and the family made annual trips up North and, after retirement, he and Louise spent summers on Lake Hattie.  His fish fries and mouth-watering injected/marinated Thanksgiving turkeys are now a family tradition that will be carried on to future generations.

Donald is survived by wife, Louise; daughter, Jennifer (Michael) Kelley; sons, Steven (Kären) Theissen, Michael (Marna) Theissen, David (Victor) Theissen, and Andrew (Tori) Theissen; 13 grandchildren along with their spouses and 15 great-grandchildren, Ryan Tracy, his wife Carla and their children Kelby, Keegen, Kella & Kinton; Benjamin Kelley, his wife Callista and their children Kylar & Kynslee; Anna Melby-Kelley and her wife Jenn; Ryan Theissen and his son Jacob; Sara Brang, her husband Nicholas and their children Chloe, Evan & Easton; Justin Bowder; Niconna Willis, her husband George and their children Colette, Alexander & Evan; Natasha Theissen; Cassandra Theissen and her children Zaylah and Zoriah Gant; Alayna Theissen; Mora Janda; Mason Theissen; Madeline Theissen; brothers, Jerome Theissen and Michael (Linda) Theissen; sister, Nancy (Jerry) Hoehn; brothers and sisters-in-law Linda (Rex) Averill, Margaret Pecoraro and Joan Schugel along with many nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil (Margaret) Theissen; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Sylvester (Rose) Feeser; granddaughter, April Rose Kelley; sisters-in-law, Marian Theissen, LuEtta Theissen and Bonnie Theissen and brother-in-law, Michael Pecoraro.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research.