Donald Clifford Dahlstrom passed away on August 29, 2013. Don was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 1, 1928 and grew up in New Hope. As a young boy, his uncles taught him boxing and took him to Nicollet Park to watch Minneapolis Millers games. Of all the sports he enjoyed, his greatest passion was baseball. Don’s love of music also began in childhood. He recalled summer lawn parties that went on late into the evening and falling asleep listening to his aunt play piano in the background. As a teenager, he ran his grandparents’ farm when his uncles were called to serve in the military. Other early work experience included a position at the Office of Emergency Management, fifteen years at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange and operating Don’s Discount Corner, his gas station in Brooklyn Park. In 1960, he went to work for Minnesota Ohio Oil Company, where he became General Manager. In 1971, he was hired as General Manager of SSG Corporation, a newly-formed developing chain of self-service gasoline stations based in Hudson, Wisconsin. He retired as a real estate broker with Central Realty in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.

Don loved sports, politics, music, crossword puzzles, and recounting the many virtues of his canine friends. He particularly enjoyed a vigorous debate on these – or any other – subjects. Don was preceded in death by his daughter Patricia Otten, his sister Carol Eggenberger, and his brother John Dahlstrom. He is survived by his children, Dawn (Ty) Rogers, Daniel Dahlstrom, Jacqueline Dahlstrom, Jesse Dahlstrom, and Matthew Dahlstrom; his grandchildren and great grandchildren; his sisters, Marilyn Schad and Glady (Archer) Olson; his former wife, Gail Nordstrand Dahlstrom; his friends and other family members, including Rylie and Huck.

In honor of Don’s wishes, memorials are preferred to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): www.aspca.org or P.O. Box 96929, Washington D.C., 20090.

A future memorial celebration is planned.

””Tidal waves don’t beg forgiveness

Crashed and on their way,

Father he enjoyed collisons; others walked away.

A snowflake falls in May.

And the doors are open now as the bells are ringing out,

Because the man of the hour is taking his final bow.

Goodbye for now.””

-””Man of the Hour””, Eddie Vedder