Donald Herman Berger passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016, in Sturgis SD, after a short illness. This was a surprise and brought sadness to many of his family and friends who were convinced he would outlive them all from pure German stubbornness. He would have been 81 in February.

Donald was born on February 17, 1936, in Sturgis, SD, to Fred and Elizabeth (Friehauf) Berger. He was raised on the family farm ten miles north of Whitewood, in Whitewood Valley and attended Country School via horseback near his home until High School. Don graduated from Sturgis High School and went on to work with his Dad on the farm. He always worked hard even at a young age and built his own beekeeping business and the family farm into a profitable ranch.

In June of 1971 he married Betty Rud from Gettysburg, SD. They had two children, Harold Berger and Dawn Berger who he raised to value hard work by giving them a great childhood experience of life on a farm. He had an infectious love of livestock husbandry with a special ability for cattle and poultry. He loved to hatch chicks and geese in the spring and couldn't wait for all the babies every year.

At the age of 50, life circumstances sent Don on a new adventure, moving the family into Whitewood. Don went to work for Hills Materials Company and drove delivery truck for them for the next twenty years. He loved going all over in the truck, meeting new people and seeing new parts of beautiful country.

Don loved to have good conversations with great friends, a cold beer and a lot of laughs. He liked nothing better than a good "visit". He also enjoyed seeing his three grandsons, Nolan and Orin Berger and Christopher Egerdahl, to whom he bestowed many nuggets of grandfatherly wisdom on, if they wanted it or not. In the last few years of his life, with the help of his son and grandson, he resumed beekeeping. He enjoyed teaching them what he knew from the past, learning new methods and meeting other bee keepers.

Visitation will be Wednesday, December 14, 2016, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, SD.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at the Presbyterian Church in Sturgis, SD, with Rev. Denzel Nonhof officiating followed by luncheon at the church and burial at Whitewood Cemetery.

A memorial has been established to Whitewood Senior Citizens.