Donald Schou

Donald Dale Schou, 93, of rural Albert Lea, died Thursday, Nov. 2 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester after being injured in a fall. His funeral will be held Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea with the Rev. Eileen Woyen officiating. Visitation will be at Bonnerup Funeral Service from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and one hour prior to the service at Trinity.

Don was born April 21, 1924 in Redwood Falls, Minnesota to Soren ‘Sam’ and Amelia (Johnsen) Schou. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he grew up in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota with his mother, younger brother and grandparents. He graduated from Sleepy Eye High School in 1942. He attended Dana College in Blair, Nebraska for one year before enlisting in the army in 1943. He served in the Army Air Corps as a cryptographer. He sailed over to Europe on the Queen Mary in March 1945 and volunteered for an assignment with the French Air Corps in Strasbourg. After the war in Europe was over he was assigned to duty in Meersburg and Herzogenaurach. He was honorably discharged in April 1946. He returned to Dana College to complete his education, receiving a B.A. in history in 1949. While there he met Eleanor Nielsen of Albert Lea, and they were married Dec. 28, 1948 at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Don taught school in Janesville, Minnesota for two years before settling in Albert Lea, where he  worked first for the County Highway Department and then for the Soil Conservation Service until 1965, when he became self-employed as a drainage engineer. He retired when he was in his early 80s. He also farmed north of Albert Lea. He loved being on a tractor doing fieldwork, and he was proud of the fact that he was still able to chisel plow at the age of 90. When he was no longer able to do fieldwork, he derived great joy in watching the progress of planting and bringing in the harvest. He also worked for a few years as a substitute mail carrier.

Don enjoyed traveling. He took his family on camping trips every summer, and after his children were grown, he enjoyed taking trips to Europe with his wife and daughter Deb. He especially loved train travel. He also loved to read, especially spy novels and anything about World War II. He enjoyed sports, especially football. He played on both offense and defense as a lineman in high school and college. He loved the Vikings and Gophers, and he was able to go to a World Series game in 1987.

Don was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He was proud of his Danish heritage. He loved talking to people and could strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere.

More than anything, Don loved his family. He and Eleanor had seven children, “the best crop I ever raised.” He was also proud of his six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; children Gregory, of Bloomington, Steven (Kathleen), Minneapolis, Brent, Albert Lea, Deborah (John) Wood, Bloomington, Jeffrey (Dorrine), Albert Lea, Laurie (Marvin) Hovendick, Albert Lea, and Cynthia, Bloomington; grandchildren Joel (Medora) Schou, Minneapolis, Andrew (Brittany) Schou, Golden Valley, Jennifer (Luke Savick) Hovendick, Freeborn, Jason (Ashley) Hovendick, Albert Lea, Rebecca (Nathaniel Kilwine) Hovendick, Glenville, and Katherine Schou, Albert Lea; great-grandchildren Abby and Carly Hovendick, Oliver and August Schou, and Arlo and Opal Schou; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law John and Elizabeth Nielsen, Margaret (Nielsen) and Bill Rodenburg, Gary Hansen, Mike Pedersen and Opal Schou; and many nephews and nieces.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Harold “Ozzie” Schou, his parents-in-law John and Meta Nielsen, sisters-in-law Luella Nielsen, Marion (Nielsen) Hansen, Elizabeth (Nielsen) Pedersen, Christine (Grantner) Nielsen, brother-in-law James Nielsen, and nephews Gary Schou and Thomas Nielsen.

Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, the Danish American Archives and Library (DAAL), or to the charity of the donor's choice.