Donald Joseph (Don) Diepolder
May 3, 1926 – July 25, 2020
On Saturday, July 25th,
2020 Donald Joseph (Don)
Diepolder, peacefully
passed away at the age of
94 in Rugby, North Dako-
ta.
Don was born May 3rd,
1926 in Willow City,
North Dakota to Walter
Joseph Diepolder and Syl-
via Mary (Lizotte)
Diepolder. He earned a
high school diploma from
the Willow City Notre
Dame Academy and began
college at the University
of St. John’s in College-
ville, MN. But when
WWII broke out, Don like
many of the greatest gen-
eration, joined the U.S.
Navy to protect our coun-
try. He served in active
duty on the USS Flint in
the South Pacific before
returning to Willow City
where he began a life as a
first generation farmer.
Don remembered a pret-
ty young gal from the No-
tre Dame Academy, Dora
Dionne. Don and Dora
married November 28,
1953 in her home town of
Thorne, ND. Their ad-
venture began. They went
on a 3-month honeymoon
traveling across the coun-
try and, without knowing
any Spanish, into Mexico.
They lived in Mexico City
for a month, enjoying bull
fights and a Mexican New
Year’s full of guns firing
in the air. But spring was
coming and in early 1954,
they returned to Willow
City where they began
farming and raising a fam-
ily 5-1/2 miles south east
of town.
Don became a success-
ful farmer, family man of
ten children, and sup-
porter of his community
while retaining his quiet,
free spirit. He worked
with the University of
California Davis to plant
new crop varieties and
was honored with the
Harvest Bowl Award by
North Dakota State
University. He protested
against farm imports at
the U.S. – Canadian bord-
er. He instilled music in
his children by freely
singing at home, in the
family car, and sometimes
over the C.B. radio. He
served on his church
council and as Clerk of
Wellington Township. He
was a member of the Wil-
low City American Le-
gion; and, the Rugby Ea-
gles and Knights of
Columbus.
Don retired and moved
with Dora to Rugby, ND
in 1990 where they en-
joyed the fruits of their
working life, neighbors,
friends, and his growing
family. Later in life nick-
named “The Captain”, he
enjoyed watching Min-
nesota Twins baseball,
gardening, attending Navy
ship reunions with fellow
sailors, fishing, reciting
poetry, a hot cup of cof-
fee, and, more travel – in-
cluding the Panama Ca-
nal, Germany and a WWII
Veteran Honor Flight to
Washington D.C.
Survivors include: wife
Dora Diepolder, Rugby,
ND; four daughters – Ann
(Mike) Brown, Grand
Forks, ND; Mary Diepold-
er (Rob Turner), Colum-
bia, SC; Paula Diepolder
(Bill Fleming), Albu-
querque, NM; and Sarah
Diepolder, Moose Lake,
MN; three sons John
Diepolder, Lawton, OK;
Jim (Colleen) Diepolder,
Willow City, ND; and Karl
Diepolder, Missoula, MT;
seven grandchildren
Michaela (Brooks) Bo-
land, Blythewood, SC;
Danielle (Brad) Larson,
Tabor, MN; Laura (Bran-
don) Cobb, Grand Forks,
ND; Ben (Taylor) Diepold-
er, Bottineau, ND; Gray-
don Brown, Boulder, CO;
Maria Diepolder, West
Fargo, ND; and; Seth
Premo, Moose Lake, MN;
great-grandchildren
Josephine and Kiersten
Larson, Tabor, MN;
Michael (Remington) Bo-
land, Blythewood, SC;
numerous cousins, nieces,
nephews, great-nieces,
great-nephews, other rela-
tives and good friends.
He was preceded in
death by his paternal
grandparents Joseph
and Mary Diepolder;
maternal grandparents
parents August and
Minnie Lizotte; sister,
Dolores (Denver) Rosberg,
daughter – Lisa Diepolder;
and sons – William and
Joseph (Joe) Diepolder.
Memorial suggestions
include the Dacotah
Foundation, 600 S. 2nd
St., Suite 308, Bismarck,
N.D. 58504, 701.223.4517,
on.org, in memory of Joe
Diepolder. If you wish to
send flowers, consider
honoring Don as a long
time local farmer and gar-
dener by bringing flowers
from your fields and/or
gardens. He would like
that.
Don’s family would like
to thank all of you for
your support through the
years. They welcome you
to share in their vision of
him – quiet, happy,
strong, surrounded by
passed family members,
patiently waiting for us to
join him.
Mass of Christian buri-
al was held at 10:00 a.m.,
Friday, July 31st, 2020, at
Notre Dame Catholic
Church, Willow City, ND
with burial following in
the nearby church
cemetery. Fr. Tom Graner
will be the celebrant. Ar-
rangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry: