Obituary of Donald G. Modereger

Longtime Yankton businessman and all around great guy, Donald G. "Don" Modereger, age 92, of Yankton, SD passed away unexpectedly, Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD. Memorial visitations will be from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Friday, August 15, 2014 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, SD. Inurnment will be in the Garden of Memories, Yankton, with Military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard and the Army Military Honors Team. Don was born September 24, 1921 in Yankton, SD to Joseph and Ada (Willits) Modereger. He was one of six children: Brothers, Harold & Kenneth and three sisters, Violet, Louise and twin sister, Dorothy. In November 1940 Don left with the National Guard for Fort Ord, CA and left the U.S. in November 1941 for the Philippine Islands. After the Pearl Harbor bombing, the unit headed for Australia, landing there on Christmas Day. After defending Australia for two years, they made landing in New Guinea, Kirawina Island, Dutch New Guinea and the Philippines. In November 1944, Don was sent home. Don married the love of his live, Lois Boller September 16, 1945 and together they ran Boller Printing and raised an amazing family. Don leaves behind a great legacy in Yankton and loved being involved in many community organizations. He was a charter member of Junior Chamber of Commerce, United Way and the Federal Prison Advisory Board. He served on the Yankton City Commission, Chamber of Commerce, L&C Health and umpired little league baseball for over ten years. He was instrumental in starting junior golf and junior bowling. He was a past commander of the VFW, past president of Hillcrest Golf and Country Club, past president and past Lt. Govenor of Kiwanis, a member of the St. Johns Lodge of the Masons and a Shriner of Lewis and Clark Shrine Club, member of the Bowling Hall of Fame of South Dakota, and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Don loved many things. Most of all, his family, followed closely by golf, Cardinals baseball, Cowboys football and John Wayne movies. He loved to sit in the sunroom with Max and watch the golfers and enjoyed feeding the squirrels, in between games of Gin Rummy and a cold beer. He will always be remembered by his kind heart, ready laugh, strength of character and quick wit. Don is survived by his wife, Lois of 68 years; children: Donna "Midge" Stengle of Yankton, SD, Jeff (Matt Sutkoski) Modereger of Burlington, VT and Brian (Michelle) Modereger of DeSoto, KS; grandchildren: Staci (Chris Pederson) Stengle, Matt (Jody Rermsing) Stengle, Kelsey Stengle, Charlie (Chalin Lockhart) Modereger and Katie (Josh Fisher) Modereger; great-grandchildren, Jonas and Poppy Stengle and one on the way, Camden Fisher; sister, Dorothy Wainscott; nieces and nephews; "adopted" daughters, Kathy and Kristy Church and many, many friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters, Louise Jacobs, Harold Modereger, Ken Modereger and Violet Modereger.