Donald W. Budahn, 86

Published 9:50 am Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Donald W. Budahn, 86, of Rochester, died peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, at his home in Rochester.

Donald Budahn

Donald Wayne Budahn was born Dec. 30, 1923, in Dexter to Louis and Lillian (Sukow) Budahn. He grew up in Dexter and graduated from Austin High School in June of 1942.

In June, 1943, he was drafted into the United States Army Air Force, where he served in Italy with the 15th Air Force, 485th Bomb Group as a tail gunner on a B24 until Nov. 1945. He delivered for Marygold Dairy for two years and then returned to military enlisting in the United Sates Air Force in Nov. 1947.

On June 15, 1949, he married Letty Cooper at the Methodist Church in Dexter. After they married, Don and Letty were stationed at Ladd Army Air Field in Fairbanks, Alaska for one year.

They returned state-side in July, 1950. They were stationed at different bases throughout the United states and were also stationed in England for three years. Donald served in Saudi Arabia for 13 months and spent 18 months in the Azores Islands. He retired with 20 years of service as a Staff Sergeant in August, 1965.

Upon retiring from the United States Air Force, he was employed at Telex Communications of Rochester for 23 years, retiring from there in 1989.

Donald is survived by his wife, Letty; three sons: Bruce (LuAnn) Budahn, Austin; Richard (Karen) Budahn, Chatfield and Clayton Budahn, Peoria, Ill.; daughter, Susan (Lyle) Klaassen, Oronoco; ten grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Edsel Budahn.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, at Ranfranz and Vine funeral home in Rochester with Pastor Mark Woodward officiating. Visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, from 6 to 8 p.m. and one hour before the service at Ranfranz and Vine funeral. Internment will be at the National Cemetery in Fort Snelling. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to Season Hospice of Rochester or Historic Lenora Church, Lenora.