W. Oscarson

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton with Fr. John Paul Knopik Celebrant. Reader will be Pastor Tim Shekleton. Organist will be Cindy Sanasack with special music provided by Ken Hodgson and the Ave Maria Catholic Church Choir.

Burial will be at a later date in Wildwood Cemetery. Urn bearer will be Janet Gauger. Honorary Pallbearers will be Darin Anderson, Darwin Anderson, Delane Anderson, Gary "Swede" Anderson, Joanne Dobberstein, Troy Fridgen, Dr. Stan Gallagher, Vern Janke, Dorrie Larson, Lyle Lecuyer, Bob Rydell, Elliot Schaff, Richard Schaff, Al Shorgen, Joe Spafford, Gary Yost and Parker Yost.

Visitation will be held Friday evening, March 17th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Ave Maria Catholic Church. Visitation will continue Saturday morning one hour prior to service time at the church.

Walter Donn Oscarson was born October 10, 1938 in Wheaton, Minnesota to Walter and Carrie Oscarson. Donn attended first grade at local country School District 40 which was taught by his aunt Esther Roser. He then went to Wheaton to attend elementary school and graduated from Wheaton High School, Class of 1956. Donn earned thirteen sports letters. He played four sports: football, basketball, baseball and track. He was named All-Conference Football Quarterback his Junior and Senior years and made Honorable Mention All-State both years. Donn joined the Army Reserve and served six months of active duty in 1957. He attended NDSU as a freshman and transferred to Moorhead State College the following year. Donn made the MS Varsity Basketball Team in 1961. He enjoyed his summers playing town team baseball for the Wheaton Red Sox.

While attending Moorhead State, he met his love, Emma Schaff, and they married the next year, August 25, 1962. They had two children, John and Angel, whose families are the pride and joy of their lives. In 2012 Donn and Emma happily celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

After working in sales in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, Donn moved his family to Pierre, South Dakota in the late 60's. In the mid 70's Donn became interested in Quarter Horse Racing and in 1976 purchased his first race horse. In 1979 Donn and Emma built their ranch home where he continued his passion of raising, racing and breeding quarter horses. His greatest breeding/racing accomplishment was a mare named Angeleah, who became the Top Champion Three Year Old Quarter Horse in South Dakota. He loved that horse! A great honor of Donn's was being named Breeder of the Year in 1987. He also enjoyed being Racing Secretary for both the Ft. Pierre and the Rapid City Horse Racing Courses.

Donn and Emma enjoyed many entrepreneurial adventures through the years. After leaving South Dakota they moved to Arizona, then Washington, and then to the Denver, Colorado area where they resided for twelve years. They retired to Wheaton in 2001.

Donn was a member of the Traverse County Sportsman's Club and served many years as a director on the board. Donn remained close to many of his high school classmates and was instrumental in helping plan and coordinate his 60th class reunion.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife Emma Oscarson of Wheaton, MN; son John (Char) Oscarson of Altadena, CA; daughter Angel (Randy) Mercier of Loomis, CA; four granddaughters: Berklie Oscarson of New Zealand; Sapphire Stone of Bellingham, WA; MacKenzie Mercier of Boise, ID; Elle Oscarson of Altadena, CA; sister Jeanne (Joe) Spafford of Lake Traverse, MN; many brothers and sisters-in-law; nieces; nephews; cousins; and friends.

Donn was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Carrie Oscarson of Wheaton, MN and Emma's parents Jack and Clara Schaff of Sauk Rapids, MN.