Donald Henry Ehlers - better known as “Don” by his family and friends - was born October 15, 1937, near Hamar, North Dakota, to Henry “Hiney” and Edith (Baker) Ehlers. He was the oldest of four brothers. He lived with his parents and attended rural elementary school near home for eight years.

Don enlisted in the U.S. Army for three years and was stationed in Arkansas, Texas, and Colorado where he specialized in missiles. After Don was honorably discharged, he traveled home where he met Sally Nemec in Pierre on a blind date. They were united in marriage on February 11, 1961 in St. William Catholic Church in Midland. He and Sally had four children: Donald Dwayne, Cheryl Ann, Rory Allan, and Pamela Sue.

Don worked for the Ernest Nemec family on their registered Hereford ranch for 23 years. Don and Sally moved from the Nemec homestead to establish their own place in 1984 and continued ranching for many years.

Don was a member of the American and South Dakota Hereford Association. As the children grew, Don and Sally caught “polka fever” and enjoyed dancing and camping around several states for 30-plus years. He was a member of the St. William Catholic Church in Midland and the Bad River and Ballroom Swishers dance clubs. He had a special love for horses and farm sales.

Survivors include four children, Donnie (Bonnie) Ehlers of Midland, Cheryl (Marty) Hook of Mobridge, Rory Ehlers of Ft. Pierre, and Pam Cook of Mitchell, Nebraska; seven grandchildren: Rachel (Jake) Ritzman of Hopkins, Minnesota; Devon (Haley) Ehlers of Philip, Dixie Ehlers of Midland, Stephanie Waller (Wayce) of Gillette, Wyoming, Hunter Hook of Illinois, Nicolette Cook of Kearney, Nebraska, and Walker Cook of Lincoln, Nebraska; three great-grandchildren, twins Alexis and Madison, and Brody Gisi all of Gillette, Wyoming; two brothers Henry (Connie) Ehlers of Phoenix, Arizona and Marlin (Mary Lou) Ehlers of Tolna, North Dakota; sister-in-law Arlene (Darrel) Ehlers of McHenry, North Dakota; many cousins, nieces, and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his wife Sally on October 30, 2019; his parents; brother Darrel Ehlers; grandson Dylan Ehlers; granddaughter Cassidy Cook; son-in-law Morgan Cook; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ray “Mac” and Teresa McLaughlin; brother-in-law John Fosheim; and great nephew, Brennan Ehlers.

Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

Cards and memorials can be sent to:
The Ehlers Family
22169 SD Hwy 14/63
Midland, SD 57552

A come and go viewing will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 29, at St. William Catholic Church in Midland.

Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, at St. William Catholic Church in Midland with Father Gary Oreshoski as celebrant. Due to the CDC and church guidelines the mass is limited to immediate family only, but you are welcome to watch the live streaming of the service from this webpage when the service begins.

Interment with military honors will be held immediately following the funeral service at the Midland Cemetery. Anyone is welcome to take part in the funeral procession starting at 11 a.m. from St. William Catholic Church to the cemetery. All are welcome to join the family for the graveside service. The graveside service will also be live streamed and can be viewed from this webpage.

Memories of Dad
by Daughter Cheryl Hook
It’s been over 12 years since Dad was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and now he is finally free. Finally free to enjoy life again, finally free to polka and laugh and hug. Finally free to tell Mom how much he loved her and finally free to tell her to pull over at the next Dairy Queen for an ice cream sundae. We have missed him for a very long time and now it’s finally time that he can be free.
Dad was a quiet, humble man and a true cowboy all the way from his cowboy hat down to his boots, from his snap western shirts with Lazy E Bar embroidered on them to his Montana Silver collar tips.
Just last week we found his box of boot polish and brushes. The smell of the polish brought back a flood of memories of Saturday nights polishing boots, Lawrence Welk, Gunsmoke, eating popcorn, going to church every Sunday, and getting into a family wrestling match with all four of us kids on the bottom and dad on top and at least one crying.
He was proud to be an American and served his country for three years in the Army. I just wish he would have become pen pals with Elvis Presley who was in the same barracks!
He was so very proud of all of us. He never criticized or judged. Except maybe one time when we were playing Annie-Annie Over at McLaughlins in Minnesota when “someone” missed the over and put the ball through the window.
He couldn’t wait for us to come visit and always said to come back soon. He wasn’t much to join in our crazy games of countdown and would holler “HEY” from the living room to be quiet every time we played and got too loud.
He loved all nine of his grandchildren – with two in heaven -- and will be watching down with Mom when Rachel and Jake welcome the fourth great grandchild to the family in December. And I’m sure when he gets to heaven that he will tell Mom that it’s his turn to rock Dylan and Cassidy.
Birthdays and Christmas were always a highlight. Dad shared many birthdays with Rachel, and he couldn’t wait to tear little corners in his Christmas presents to sneak a peak and what he got.
He enjoyed rodeos, the PBR, western stores, driving through equipment lots – usually the bargain corner -- and never missed reading the Farm Forum Green Sheets every week, nor the last chapter of every book to decide if it was worth reading or not.
He believed in the value of a handshake and what it meant to be loyal and always listened to whatever Mom had to say.
Learning how to polka and waltz was a quite a challenge and I can remember hearing mom count one, two, three, four and dad trying to get his rhythm down. He was always half a step behind. But, boy, once he caught on, there was no stopping him. They bought a camper and became polka groupies and met many, many friends.
When we were by dad’s bedside and we thought he was gone, he decided to take a deep breath and come back to us for almost another 30 minutes. We decided that he must have either forgotten to shut the gate or forgot his hat, but maybe it was Mom telling him to open the gate to come join her.
It’s happy hour in heaven, and there’s a polka fest every day. We’re going to miss you, Dad, but we know you are finally at peace.
Oom-Pah-Pah.