Donald L. Engel, 81, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away November 14th, 2017 at Pioneer Ridge Nursing Home.
Don was born June 20th, 1936, in Hastings, NE to Waldorf and Clara (Rundall) Engel. He was raised in Harvard, NE and graduated from Harvard High School in 1953. He worked for Farmland Industries in Hastings, NE and Lawrence, KS as the Maintenance Supervisor and retired from there in 1998.
In 1955, Don married Shirley Ann McCune and the two celebrated their 62nd anniversary in May of this year. Don and Shirley moved to Lawrence KS in 1976, when Don transferred to the Farmland plant in Lawrence. In 1985, they moved to a farm in the Pomona KS area. Don enjoyed being on the farm where he raised cattle, some crops and put up hay. Don also owned and operated his bulldozer which he thoroughly enjoyed!! In 2010, Don and Shirley retired from the farm and moved to Lawrence due to Don’s declining health. Don’s increased lack of mobility led to him moving into Pioneer Ridge Nursing Home in 2014.
Don was very active in the community of Harvard, NE. He served as president of the school board, and was a member of the Harvard Volunteer Fire Department. As president of the Harvard Lions Club, Don helped to procure Harvard’s first emergency unit (ambulance). He was also president of the Harvard Community Development Corporation remodeling, building and selling houses in an effort to improve the community. He was a member of the Masons in Harvard, Nebraska and the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, KS. He was a member of the Lions Club for over 50 years starting in Nebraska transferring his membership to Kansas and receiving the Melvin Jones Fellow Award in 2012.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Joann (Engel) Asmus. Survivors include his wife Shirley, four sons, Donald Jr. and wife Jeanie of Kearney, NE, Jerald and wife Barbara of Pomona, KS, Doug and wife Mary of Joplin, MO, and Dennis and wife Brenda of Kansas City, MO. Nine grandchildren, Tyler Engel and wife Leslie, Tanner Engel and wife Cassi, Renae Mitchell and husband Casey, Jamie (Engel) Dahlberg, Doug Engel Jr. and wife Ellen, Brandon Engel, Ashlynn Engel, Matthew Perez-Engel and Lauren Perez-Engel. Seventeen great grandchildren Savannah, Camdon, Maryn, Lucy, Nolan, Landry, Selah, Lainy, Libby, Londyn, Dax, Jake, John, Trent, Alex, Audrey, and Nora. Above all, Don valued the time spent with his family, especially watching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren progress through the stages of their lives.
Visitation will be Friday at the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence, KS where the family will receive friends from 6 to 7 PM. The funeral will also be held at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home on Saturday from 12:30 PM. Burial and graveside services will be Sunday at the Harvard Cemetery in Harvard, NE at 2 PM.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association or the First United Methodist Church of Lawrence, KS sent in care of the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
