Donald Prochnow
| Date of Interment or Death | 08/20/2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Garden of the Christus |
| Block and Lot | 105B |
| Grave | 1 |
Obituary
Donald Prochnow
Apr 12, 1933 — Aug 15, 2026
The funeral service for Donald Ervin Robert Prochnow, age 93, of Wahpeton, ND, will be on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 11 AM, with visitation one hour before, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend, ND. Visitation will be on Wednesday, August 19, from 4-7 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home in Wahpeton. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery, Wahpeton. Donald passed away on August 15, 2026, at St. Catherine's Living Center, surrounded by his loving family.
Donald Ervin Robert Prochnow was born April 12, 1933, on the Prochnow homestead in Greendale Township near Hankinson, North Dakota, to Ervin and Martha (Steinwehr) Prochnow. At the young age of 11, Don lost both his mother and father within three months of one another. He then spent time living with each of his grandmothers, Bertha Steinwehr and Wilhelmina Prochnow, and later with his brother Willis and his family, Helen, Chuck, and Jeff. Don graduated from Fairmount High School in 1950.
On October 26, 1952, Don married Dorothy Johnson, daughter of Severt and Olga Johnson, at First English Lutheran Church in Fairmount. Their union was blessed with 5 children, 14 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren, soon to be 19. In 1953, Don and Dorothy purchased their farm in Brandenburg Township near Great Bend from George and Marie Heidner. In those early years, Don farmed in partnership with his brother Delbert until Delbert’s passing in 1957. From then on, Don and Dorothy carried on together, working side by side with their family and farming the land for more than 50 years.
Don retired from farming in 1998, and he and Dorothy moved to Wahpeton. In retirement, they enjoyed spending their winters in Mesa, Arizona, where they made many wonderful friends and embraced their years as snowbirds. In 2012, Don moved to Touchmark Senior Living in Fargo, and in 2014, he made Siena Court in Wahpeton his home, where he remained until his passing.
Don believed in serving his community. Over the years, he served on the Wahpeton School Board, Farmers Elevator of Great Bend, Hankinson and Matador, Farmers Union of Fairmount, and as Brandenburg Township Treasurer. His service with Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative gave Don and Dorothy the opportunity to travel and experience places well beyond their North Dakota roots.
Beyond farming and community service, Don enjoyed belting out a tune, bowling, golfing, hunting, and fishing. He was especially proud of his hole-in-one in Arizona. But perhaps nothing rivaled his love of playing cards. He rarely missed Thursday “Schmeer & Beer” at Siena Court, spent playing cards and sharing time with his good buddies, who serve as his honorary pallbearers.
Proudly displayed alongside family portraits was Don’s German-language Baptismal Certificate, dated June 1933, a treasured reminder of his faith that remained central throughout his life. He was the oldest living member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend, where he served in several leadership roles, including Elder and Trustee. On Sunday morning, the church bell tolled 93 times for God’s faithful servant.
Don will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 73 years, Dorothy; children Donelyn Oliver, Denise Jacobson, Darcy (Dane) McKenzie, and Darin (Brenda) Prochnow; grandchildren Benjamin (Lucy), Gabriel (Elisabeth), and Joseph (Joelle) Oliver; Nathan (Laura), Matthew, and Daniel Wurden, and Courtney (Matthew) Baer; Brandon (Kelsey) Prochnow; Peter Dean, Donald, Eveline, and Jackson McKenzie; and Preston (Brita) Prochnow and Kaitlyn (Zachary) Olson; great-grandchildren Jonas and Miles Oliver; Wesley, Christina, Patrick, and Lucy Oliver; Brian, Logan, and Dalton Wurden; Waylyn and Wyatt Baer; Rylan, Ava, Greyson, and Ember Prochnow; and Thomas and Lila Prochnow.
He was preceded in death by his son, Dean; son-in-law, Jim Oliver; parents, Ervin and Martha; and siblings Alvin (Florence), Aldena (Jack), Delbert (Florence), Willis (Helen), and Dorine (Dayton). At 93, Don was the longest-living member of the Prochnow family since their arrival in America in the 1870s.
Location
The Garden of the Christus is located in the Memorial Gardens, which comprises the northern half of the cemetery.