Don Seufert, age 90, of Ute, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at his residence of Ute, Iowa.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Mapleton, Iowa. Father Richard D. Ball will officiate. Committal services will follow in the St. Clair Township Cemetery of Ute, Iowa.
A Visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Mapleton, Iowa.
The Armstrong-Van Houten Funeral Homes of Mapleton and Ute, Iowa, are in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.
Donald Francis Seufert was born on August 1, 1934, to Joseph and Loretta (Shanahan) Seufert, at their home near Ute, Iowa. He attended a rural school through the 8th grade and then Ute High School graduating with the class 1953.
Following graduation, he was employed as a farm hand until November 1953, when he volunteered for service in the United States Army. He took his basic training at Ft. Riley, Kansas and was later stationed in Georgia, Washington State, and at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. While stationed on the Arizona-Mexico border, he enjoyed exploring and hiking the Sierrita Mountains. He was honorably discharged in November 1955 and returned to Ute.
Don was employed by the Konradi Garage, Ute Skelly Station, and was also a truck driver for local firms. He spoke often of the times he spent sharing driving duties with his good friend, Jim Gregerson. In 1957, he purchased his own truck and hauled gravel along with starting farming.
In 1957, Don met his future bride, JoAnne Flanigan and they were married in 1958. The couple was blessed with five children: Colleen, Joseph, Patricia, James, and Sheila. Don’s family was the center of his life and he spent many long hours working to provide for them. In 1961, they moved to an acreage near Ute and Don became a full-time farmer, an occupation he loved. Over the years, he raised cattle, hogs, and sheep along with grain farming. Along with his farm operation, Don sold seed corn, soybeans, and had a salvage yard and repair shop on the farm. He retired from farming but continued with his seed business and repair shop until retiring in 2017.
As a child of the Great Depression, Don was raised with a strong work ethic, a quality he passed to his children, along with a belief in never wasting anything. His storehouse of “stuff” was a lifesaver many times to the family.
Don’s wife, children, and grandchildren were the joy of his life and he loved them dearly. One of his greatest sorrows was the death of their daughter, Patricia, in 2018.
Don was a lifelong member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ute until its closing. He was a Eucharistic minister and served as a parish trustee. He was always on hand for any other jobs as needed. In later years, he was a member of the St. Therese of Lisieux Parish. He was also a member of the Monona County Extension Council, the Monona County ASCS Committee, the Monona County Pork Producers, the Ute Commercial Club and the Ute Community Club, the Ute Fire Department, the Ute Senior Housing Board, and served as a St. Clair Township Trustee for many years.
Don and JoAnne were able to enjoy some trips to Las Vegas and the western U.S., but their greatest adventure was a trip to Ireland provided by their family in 1996. Along with enjoying that beautiful country, they were able to visit with JoAnne’s aunt and cousins. Don enjoyed spending time with family and friends, trips to the casino, fishing, country music, and in his later year’s completing Sudoku puzzles.
Although he had no formal training, Don was an artist and a musician. He was well known for his horseshoe art and he made many beautiful wooden items for his family. He also composed four pieces of music; his favorite being “The Hills of Monona County”. His good friend and music teacher, Lynette Thies, aided in setting that song to music.
Left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 66 years, JoAnne Seufert of Ute, IA; children Colleen (Bob) Henderson of Ute, IA, Joe (Jodi) Seufert of Carroll, IA, Jim (Jessica) Seufert of Morrison, CO and Sheila (Lance) Odom of Lincoln, NE; grandchildren Kyle Garton, Sara Garton, Harper Odom, Marc Seufert, Chad Seufert, Eric Seufert, Kiersten (Weston) Worley, Jessie (Adam) Wessling, Zach (Andrea) Monahan, Mary Henderson, and Annie Henderson; 6 great-grandchildren; sister Mary (Martin) Burke of Sioux City, IA; sisters-in-law Marie Adkins of Woodbine, IA, Donna Seufert of Atlantic, IA and Darlene Flanigan of Mapleton, IA; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Loretta Seufert; daughter Patricia Garton; brothers William Seufert and Richard Seufert.
Previous Events
Visitation
5
Apr
201 N 8th Street
Mapleton, IA 51034
Prior to the Service
Mass of Christian Burial
5
Apr
201 N 8th Street
Mapleton, IA 51034
Cemetery Details
Location
Ute, IA
