Donald Seeman, 86, Arlington

2018-07-19

Donald Seeman unexpectedly passed away at home on Saturday, July 14.  His heart was full after spending the evening on his daughter Sheri’s front patio, doing what he loved most, spending time with his grandchildren and sharing stories with his family and friends.  Don was 86 years old.
Funeral service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Arlington at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 21.
Visitation will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Arlington from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 20. There will be a Masonic Service at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 21.
Burial will be at the Arlington Public Cemetery immediately following the funeral service.  
Memorials are preferred to the David D. Seeman Scholarship Fund.
Donald Franklin Seeman  was born in Henderson on Nov. 2, 1931. His parents, Vincent and Della Seeman, operated an 80 acre family farm in Kelso Township, where young Don attended the District 58 country school.  In 1949, Don graduated from the Arlington High School and that fall enrolled in the University of Minnesota Agriculture School in St. Paul.  By 1950 the United States was involved in the Korean War and Don enrolled in the United States Army in January, 1951.  Five months later he was shipped off to Korea where he fought as a communications specialist in the 304th Battalion of the 8th Army.  He spent 20 months on the Korean Peninsula, mostly in Seoul and Munsanni.  Sixty years later, in 2011, Don returned to South Korea with his son, Dan, to take part in the 60th anniversary of the Korean War.  Just two years ago, in 2016, he made the trip back to South Korea with his youngest son, Doug. They were emotional and historic trips that Dan and Doug will never forget.
After returning home from the service and going to work, Don met his wife, Mary Annie Johnson, and they were married at the United Church of Christ in Gaylord in 1957.  Four kids followed: David, Dan, Sheri and Doug.  The family home at 209 East Main Street in Arlington was always busy in the 1960s and 1970s as Don and Mary raised four kids and worked full-time jobs.  Don was a busy father, leading Boy Scout Troop 140, taking the family on camping trips, fixing bicycles, hosting family picnics, teaching his kids how to drive snowmobiles, hunting, building forts in the garage attic and attending countless sporting events, band concerts, choir concerts and theatre events.  
In 1976, Don and Mary mourned the death of their oldest son, David, who was tragically killed in a car accident, two months after he graduated from the Arlington-Green Isle High School.  Every year a Sibley East graduating senior is awarded the David D. Seeman Liberal Arts Scholarship and to date over $60,000 has been awarded to graduates of Sibley East.
Don Seeman is a legend in southern Minnesota farm machinery sales. In 1959, he took his first job selling farm machinery and for the next 56 years Don represented hundreds of agricultural products and services, ranging from John Deere tractors to Starline Barn Systems to Sioux Grain Bins.  In 2015, at age 83, Don announced what he called an “early retirement” from Waconia Farm Supply.
Don worked hard. But he played hard, too.  In the winters, Don raced his beloved Rupp snowmobile all over southern Minnesota. In the summers, he led the Boy Scout troop to camping trips around the state, including Camp Cuyuna near Cross Lake. He hunted ducks at Wiemann’s slough and went deer and bear hunting in northern Minnesota.  It’s also rumored that he liked an occasional beer at the Arlington Haus. One of his many outdoor passions was mushroom hunting in the Rush River bottoms near the farm where he grew up. He would gather friends and family, everyone armed with garbage bags, to hunt and pick the prized morel mushrooms. After a successful hunt the Seeman home was filled with the distinct aroma of fresh morel mushrooms sautéing in butter.  In 1977, Don completed a lifelong dream and got his pilot’s license. For 15 years he flew Cessnas and Pipers around Sibley County and the state of Minnesota.
But most of all, Don Seeman loved a parade. During his lifetime Don participated in well over 500 parades, first as a member of the VFW Drill Team, then as member of the Zurah Flyers, and for the past 18 years as a member of the Ho Ho Shrine Classic Car Club.  Don announced that his last parade would be June 25, 2018, in Henderson, just three weeks before he died.
Don adored his wife, Mary, and they were active seniors, always busy with travel and community service. They were blessed to travel all over the world on trips to Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Hawaii, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and India.  Closer to home, Don and Mary Joined the kids and grandkids on family trips to Washington, DC, New York City, the Brained Lakes area, Duluth and Wisconsin Dells.   On Nov. 30, 2017, Don and Mary Seeman celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
Don’s service to country and community started in 1951 and continued for the next 67 years.  After returning from Korea, Don was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving as a member for his entire life.  Don was also a past commander of the VFW Post 6031 and was the present commander of the American Legion Post 250.  He was also very active in the Masonic Lodge as a member of Sibley Lodge 209 A.F and A.M and the Zurah Shrine Center.  When Don wasn’t busy with the VFW or the Masonic Lodge, he was probably helping the love of his life, Mary, with one of her many community service projects, including the Living Nativity, the Sibley Medical Center Foundation or volunteering at Zion Lutheran Church.
Don wore many hats.  Loving husband. Father. Farm implement salesman. Veteran. Community servant.  But without question his favorite hat said, “Grandpa.”  Don loved his 10 grandchildren and they kept his heart full the past 32 years.  They came in waves.  First Andrew and Alex.  Then Caleb, Kayle and Clare.  And then Devan, Kadin, Hannah, Chetan and Maya.  Grandpa Don was always there to support his grandkids at sporting events, dance recitals, baptisms, confirmations, graduations and theatre performances.  He was a mentor, a role model, a chauffeur and a friend.  He will remain forever in their hearts.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Vincent and Della (Schuetz) Seemann; his sister, Lorraine Seemann; his brother, Orlen Seemann, and his son, David Seeman.  He is loved and will be remembered by his wife, Mary; daughter Sheri (Birendra) Kumar, and sons, Dan (Cyndy) Seeman and Doug (Connie) Seeman; grandchildren, Andrew (Amanda) Fredin, Alex (Katie) Fredin, Devan Kumar, Chetan Kumar, Maya Kumar, Mary Clare Seeman, Hannah Seeman, Caleb Seeman (special friend, Audy Metteer), Kayle Seeman and Kadin Seeman; and many relatives and friends.

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