Donald “Don” E. Jenkins, of Jordan, passed away on April 20, 2024, from BPDCN leukemia diagnosed in July 2023. He was a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Don’s honor on June 3, 2024, at 11AM with a visitation from 10-11AM, all at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, 2920 220th St E, Prior Lake, MN. Don will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
He was born in Springfield, IL to parents Donald Sr & Ruth “Hamm” Jenkins. He was an only child. The family moved to St Paul in 1940, and eventually to Minneapolis. Don always enjoyed talking about his paper route with family and friends. He graduated from West High School in Minneapolis, and worked at Fingerhut until being enlisted in the Army in September, 1954. He served in the 541st Engineer Co in Germany and was honorably discharged in September 1956.
He met the love of his life Mary “Hebel” Jenkins on New Year’s Eve 1956, and they exchanged wedding vows on December 28, 1957. They moved to Prior Lake in 1965.
Don started his business, Don Jenkins Trucking, in 1970 hauling to Elk River concrete, and in 1971 he added Fabcon in Savage to his haul. He passed the business onto his son. “Dave Jenkins and Sons Trucking” which is still going strong today.
In 1998 Don and Mary retired to Lake Vermilion in Northern MN. They enjoyed hosting Holiday family gatherings. Once he finished landscaping their home on the Lake they bought a farm with hunting property near Cook, MN on the Rice River in 2006. There he was able to take pleasure in his love of the great outdoors for 10 more years until they moved back to Jordan to be close to family in 2016. It was here he was able to enjoy playing in the dirt once again.
Every winter for about 3 months Don and Mary traveled via motorhome or 5th wheel trailer to various state parks, mainly in AZ, NV, FL, and TX. Don truly appreciated being outside. He was always on the skid loader, dozer, and lawn mower creating ponds, trails, wildlife plots, and beautiful landscaped yards. Every year he went wild turkey hunting, and in the spring of 2023 he shot his last turkey weighing 27 lbs. He also hunted grouse, geese, ducks, pheasant, moose, elk, and bear. But his favorite sport was deer hunting, which he began as a young boy.
Don will be remembered for his kindness, quick wit, dedication to having a strong work ethic, and love of family.
Don is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary; four children, David, Kimberly (Joe), Dennis (Lorie), and Duane (Gayle), twelve grandchildren, Cara, Christopher, Luke, David, Eric, Elyssa (Kit), Jacob (Christine), Carlie (Jordan), Tyler, Kalley (Logan), Julia, and Kaitlyn (Lucas); two great-grandchildren, Oakley and Dawson, and another great-grandchild to be born in August.
Don is greeted in heaven by his parents, Don and Ruth; uncle Lee and aunt Marge Hamm; father-in-law and mother-in-law Frank and Helen Hebel; brothers-in-laws Robert “Bob” Lindgren, and Richard “Dick” Parker; sister-in-law Virginia “Gin” Perl; niece Monica Lindgren; and many other family and friends.
