Donald’s Obituary Donald H. Bystrom, 90, entered his eternal home on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at Mount View Care Center in Wausau, Wisconsin. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM on Tuesday, November 20 at Dalesburg Baptist Church, rural Beresford, SD. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM on Monday, November 19 at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford, followed by a prayer service at 7:00 PM.
wassfuneralhome.com. Donald Herbert Torsten Bystrom was born on March 19, 1928 to parents Torsten and Elizabeth (Anderson) Bystrom on the family farm in Pleasant Valley Township, Clay County South Dakota. At the age of two, Don won a first-place blue ribbon in the 1930 Child’s Health contest at the Clay County Fair in Vermillion—and his long life proved the award was well-deserved!
Don attended Dalesburg Middle School and Vermillion High School where he enjoyed playing football. In fact, Don helped his team win the 1945 Tri-Valley Conference Championship, which was one of many favorite memories he enjoyed sharing throughout his life. From 1951 to 1953, Don served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal.
While stationed at Camp San Luis Obispo in California, Don married Betty Louise Justesen on August 16, 1952. For the rest of his life Don would say his marriage to Betty was the blessing for which he was most grateful. Upon returning to South Dakota, Don & Betty began farming in the Riverside Township area south of Centerville.
In 1959, they welcomed a son to their family. Don enjoyed the work and lifestyle of farming and spent many happy years working the land and raising crops and cattle. His skill at planting unusually straight rows of crops did not go unnoticed and had diminished only slightly by the time he retired from farming in 2005.
Don often found time to share his distinctive singing voice, sometimes as a soloist, but usually in a duo, trio or choir. He sang in the Tri-Valley Barbershop Chorus for many years but was most often heard in church singing the Gospel music he loved. A special highlight for both Don & Betty was singing in the mass community choir assembled for the 1987 Billy Graham Crusade in Sioux Falls.
Don also enjoyed the food, singing and fellowship of the annual Midsummer celebrations in the Dalesburg community and took great pride in his family’s Swedish heritage. Throughout his life, Don earned the respect of others for his strength of character, work ethic, good humor and generosity. Blessed to have been part of his life are his son Mark and wife Sandra of Plover, Wisconsin; granddaughter Melissa Wnuk-Gollon and husband Joe of Rosholt, Wisconsin; and great-granddaughter Lily Ann Gollon, also of Rosholt, Wisconsin.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Robert and John; one sister, Dorothy; and his beloved wife, Betty.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
