Donald D. Janssen

Donald (Red) Janssen, age 68, of Carroll and formerly of Lanesboro passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, May 1, 2010 at the United Methodist Church of Lanesboro with Rev. Lexie Kirkpatrick officiating. Friends may call at the Dahn & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden after 4:00 P.M. on Friday where there will be a prayer service held at 7:00 P.M.. The casket will be moved to the church at 8:30 A.M. to lie in state until the time of service. Burial will be in the Merle Hay Cemetery, Glidden. Casket bearers will be Dennis Streeter, Dave Best, Steve Streeter, Bills Hicks, Bruce Riedesel, Paul Brown. Honorary casket bearers will be Don’s many cherished friends and extended family members. Born on September 29, 1941 one mile north of Old Carrollton, Iowa, he was the son of Carl and Bernice (Brower) Janssen. He grew up in the Glidden – Ralston – Lanesboro area and graduated from Lake City High School in 1960. After high school Don worked on the construction of the Lake City Hospital, did farm work for a brief time, then went to work for A. Moorehouse and Company. He worked there for ten years, driving a ready-mix truck much of the time. Don purchased a farm near Lanesboro in 1968, which he farmed until he retired in 2006. Don was married to Edna Miller on September 4, 1993 in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Together they enjoyed life on the farm, creating and caring for flower beds and watching the birds that came to feeders kept full by Don. Family and friends coming to stay at the ‘Lanesboro Hilton’ were always such special, treasured times. Also, special to Don were the many cats that came to live on the farm. Winter months were spent in Alamo, Texas, enjoying the Winter Texan life and visiting friends in Mexico. In August 2007 they sold the acreage portion of the farm and moved to Carroll. Don was a member of the Lanesboro United Methodist Church. Don liked all sports, especially baseball. He was a longtime fan of the Dodgers, beginning when they were the Brooklyn Dodgers. He enjoyed being in Vero Beach, FL several times to attend exhibition games during spring training. Surviving are his wife Edna of Carroll; his step-father Dwight Ward of Lake City; a step-son Kirk Miller (Dominique) of Dallas, Texas; a step-son Todd Miller of Spencer, Iowa; a step-daughter Carolyn Miller of Nashville, Tennessee; a step-sister Joy Fowler (Jim) of Ankeny, Iowa; seven nieces and nephews: Pam Janssen-Irlbeck (Bobby) of Templeton, Randy Janssen (Joann) of Glidden, Diane Kramer (David) of Poinciana, Florida, Kevin Janssen of Carroll, Tracy Janssen of Platte City, Missouri, Kenny Janssen of Poinciana, Florida, and Kelly Janssen of Davenport, Florida; two step-nieces: Julie Richlen (Kendel) of Ankeny, Iowa, Janeen Christy (Jon) of Decorah, Iowa; three step-grandchildren: Dr. Amanda Miller of Shalimar, Florida, Austin Miller of Waco, Texas, and Ashley Miller of Lucas, Texas; eleven great nieces and nephews, two step-great nephews; six great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Ronald Janssen, a sister-in-law Sandra Janssen, a sister-in-law Marge Janssen, a nephew Danny Janssen, and a great niece in infancy.