Donald K. Mayer

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Mayer, Donald K. age 90, of St. Paul, MN died peacefully on August 6, 2020, in The Alton Memory Care Community. Preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Alice D. (Fogelberg) Mayer; brother, Richard A., and parents Norma A. (Rognlie) and Jerome M. Mayer. Don was born July 22, 1930, in Chicago, IL to Jerry and Nonny (Rognlie) Mayer. He met his future wife, Alice, July 29, 1950, and they were joined in marriage on February 2, 1952. After beginning his engineering studies at the University of Minnesota, Don enlisted in the USAF and served overseas in the Korean war. Upon his return from Korea, he continued at the U of M, completing his Mechanical Engineering degree. He began his lifelong engineering career at Donaldson Co., St. Paul, MN. Early in 1961, Don and his family followed Donaldson Co. to Bloomington, MN, and established the family home he shared with his wife thru April 2015. He explored new engineering opportunities at Dexon Inc., St. Louis Park, MN, before completing his engineering career at Thermo King Corp, Bloomington, MN. Don became a Minnesota Registered Professional Engineer and earned 12 US patents for Thermo King/Westinghouse Corp., before retiring from there in 1992. Don served his family as an always loving husband, inspirational father, and tireless supporter of his wife and children. He and Alice taught their children the joys of family travels, entertaining and cooking with family and friends, and an ever-gentle home for the family cat, Mittens. He and his wife were avid gardeners, square dancers, and frequent Bridge players. He enjoyed many years of skiing and golfing with family and friends and displayed fearless golf shots on his company golf team. Don kept the family home running smoothly with his well-honed mechanical, electrical, and plumbing skills. He was always ready and willing to assist his many friends, teaching his family "others before self," and was a spiritual man, who enjoyed with his family, being members of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington, MN. He is survived by sons David (Susan) and Steven (Dorothy); grandson Jeffrey (Catherine), great-grandson Ulrich; granddaughter Kristin (John Van de Water), great-grandchildren Zachary, Bethany, Emily, and Kimberly; and daughter Linda (Mark Strandberg), grandson Jonas and granddaughter Sonja. Special thanks are given to the memory care team members who helped care for Donald in his final years living at The Alton Memory Care, St. Paul, MN. These include the many staff personnel at The Alton; the Bluestone Physician Group, Stillwater, MN; and the many special contributions of the Interim Health Care Hospice team, Roseville, MN, during Don's final days. Due to these most difficult times, a cremation and private funeral service is planned for Monday August 24, 2020, thru Washburn-McReavy Funeral Home, and Senior Pastor Thomas Olson, St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Bloomington, MN, officiating. Interment will be beside his dearly missed wife, Alice, at Acacia Park Cemetery, Mendota Heights, MN. Family is looking forward to preparing Don a Celebration of Life memorial gathering when family and friends may be able to meet safely and enjoy sharing our collective memories of his Love and Friendship he gave so freely. washburn-mcreavy.com Werness Brothers: 952-884-8145

Published on August 23, 2020