Donald L. Koehn

Donald L. Koehn, 94 year old resident of Upsala, MN passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, MN. Funeral service was held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Upsala, MN with Rev. Ken Bowman officiating and Rev. Craig Johnson co-officiating. Burial took place in the Gethsemane Lutheran Church Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were with the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls, MN.
Donald Louis Koehn was born on July 5, 1920 in Langdon, North Dakota to the late William and Emma (Schlueter) Koehn. They moved to Albany, MN when Donald was 1 year old and in 1927, moved to Upsala, MN where he grew up and attended school. Donald served in the U.S. Army in the European Theater, during WWII, from August 1942 to December 1945. He initially served in the 394th Infantry Division and then transferred to the 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion under the 99th Infantry Division. Donald landed on Omaha Beach after D-Day, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and received four battle stars. He was united in marriage to Janet Dettler on June 22, 1952. They were initially blessed with a set of twins, Linda and Ronald, and later another son Joseph. Donald was always involved in farming; he also drove feed delivery truck for the Upsala Co-op Feed Store for 30 years, until retiring at the age of 79. He was a member of the Holdingford VFW, Upsala American Legion, and Gethsemane Lutheran Church of Upsala. Donald loved playing cards, dancing, reading, mowing lawn, bird watching and being surrounded by his grandchildren.
Donald is survived by loving wife of 62 years, Janet; children, Linda (Randy) Pepin of Upsala, MN; Ronald (Cheri) Koehn of Cheyenne, WY; and Joseph (Cindy) Koehn of Otsego, MN; grandchildren, Tricia Pepin (Chris Jannings), Kristi Pepin, Scott (Jessica) Pepin, Donald (Crystal) Koehn, Brent Pepin, Bryant Pepin, Emma Koehn, and Amanda Koehn; great grandchildren, Nolan and Anna Pepin; brother-in-law and sister-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.