J. Donald Seifert
J. Donald Seifert, age 88, of Jordan passed away at his home the early morning of Tuesday, June 24, 2014. Don’s family will greet guests on Friday, June 27, 2014 from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation; 104 First Street West; Jordan, MN. Mass of Christian Burial is Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 11:00 AM with visitation one hour prior at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Jordan. Don will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery.
It was a beautiful fall day in Helena Township on October 9, 1925 when John and Amelia (Busch) Seifert welcomed the birth of their son, Don. He was the third of seven children. As a child Don enjoyed life on the farm where his strong work ethic developed. Don attended St. Benedict Catholic School through the 8 th grade when he began working full time on the farm. Don raised purebred Holstein calves as a teenager in 4-H that eventually became the start of his dairy herd.
As a young man, Don loved music. He played the trombone in local dance bands, and attended every dance he could. It was at the Park Ballroom in New Prague that Don met the love of his life, Verena Koenig. She was wearing a blue skirt, so Don asked her to dance to The Blue Skirt Waltz . She accepted and the rest was history. The couple exchanged wedding vows a year later on May 13, 1950 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in New Prague. Verena joined Don on the family farm where they raised their family. They were blessed with 10 wonderful children.
Don was a lifelong dairy farmer who loved the earth. He spent much of his time working with his hands and being outside with his four-legged companion, Sammie. Don made sure to educate himself on the newest farming technology, and he was very proud of his farm. The farmland has been in the Seifert family for 138 years. Don raised his herd of Holsteins until 1989 when he crop farmed. After many years of hard work, Don retired in 1994 and passed the farm onto his son. Don and Verena built their current home on their land down the road and enjoyed their retirement together. He planted many trees and maintained the land to make it the beautiful home it is today.
After retiring Don was able to pursue a number of his other passions in life. He golfed, fished, hunted, enjoyed the outdoors and spent a lot of time in his wood shop. Don has every kind of saw imaginable, and he made many beautiful pieces of furniture, toys and jewelry boxes over the years. His last big project was a standing flower box he surprised Verena with this spring.
Family was the most important thing in Don’s life, and he loved spending time with them (especially his grandkids). Don was a man of few words, but he instilled strong values in his family by setting a good example through his actions rather than through his words.
Don was at his home he loved so much when he passed away in Verena’s arms. He will be deeply missed and remembered always by his wife of 64 years, Verena Seifert; children, Patricia (Gordon) Hoffman, Carol (Steve) Johnson, Robert (Lori) Seifert, Shirley (Bill) Rutz, Joseph (Anne) Seifert, Donna (Tim) Will, Mark (Cindi) Seifert, Chris Seifert, son-in-law, Gary (Jodi) Busse; 20 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; siblings, Virgil Seifert, Dolores Mohr, Harold Seifert, Richard Seifert; other loving relatives and friends. Don is preceded in death by his daughters, Mary Busse and Joanne Seifert; granddaughter, Amelia Rutz; siblings, Victor Seifert and Rosemary Meuwissen.
