Donald Dobbins

Donald Ralph Dobbins, son of Ernest Alonso and Iva (Needham) Dobbins, was born February 27, 1923 on the family farm south of Emmetsburg, Iowa where he spent his childhood. This is where he received his early education and then he and his older brother, Harry, left school to enlist in the service. Both were denied entry due to medical reasons. So in order to help in the war effort, they moved to the Burlington, Iowa area and went to work in an ammunitions plant. They moved back to the Graettinger/Ruthven area to farm with their father, which is where he met his future wife before finally settling in Spencer, Iowa. Donald and Laura Lee Cogdill wed on October 12, 1947. They lived for a short time near Ruthven, Iowa farming with Laura Lee's father before moving to Spencer to establish their permanent home. They welcomed 4 children into their home; Connie, Linda, Patricia and Danny. Don spent the majority of his working life delivering milk products in the Spencer/Milford/Everly area for Spencer Dairy and then with Wells Blue Bunny. Don and Laura Lee enjoyed many years of traveling around the country to Square Dance jamborees with their friends and family. Don was very active in numerous leadership roles in the local Chapter 37 and helped organize and setup annual jamborees at the Clay County Fair grounds. He enjoyed gardening, raising roses, coaching baseball for Danny's teams as he was growing up and spending time with grandchildren and great grandchildren. Don passed away at the Spencer Hospital on July 4, 2013 at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Lee; mother, Iva; father, Ernest; sister, Esther Anderson; and brother, Harry. Continuing to cherish his memory are his children; Connie Dobbins of Spencer, Iowa; Linda Dobbins of Spencer, Iowa; Patricia Fairchild and her husband Tim of Cornelia, Georgia; Danny Dobbins and his wife Rhonda of Littleton, North Carolina; brother Ken Dobbins and his wife Fern of Emmetsburg, Iowa; sister, Lorraine Bailey of Forsyth, Missouri; grandchildren Jacob Dobbins and his wife Raycha of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; Hope Fairchild of Cornelia, Georgia; Jessica Allen and her husband Neil of Chesapeake, Virginia; Heather Speers and her husband DJ of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; 12 great grandchildren and 24 nieces and nephews all of whom he cherished deeply.

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CASKET BEARERS

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