Don Montour as seen by Phyllis Montour

Dad didn't want any one to speak at his funeral. But as he well knew, I didn't always do as he said.

Mom and Dad had a loving marriage for 63 years.

Dad’s main occupation, hobby and life endeavor was visiting and talking to people. And talking and talking. He never meet a stranger. He would talk to everyone and anyone, anywhere.

Mom and Dad threw great parties. One of the very best was their 25th anniversary. They rented a excursion boat in Prairie and we cruised the Mississippi for 2 hours. Everyone had such a good time that everyone chipped in to cruise for another hour. Mom’s family, the Hinman’s, have many good stories from this party. In the mid-50's, we lived on the farm, Dad and our neighbor, Starr Baade decided to order fireworks for the 4th of July party. We had skyrockets, roman candles, buzz bombs, etc. Us kids had a great time lighting firecrackers all day. This was a 4th of July tradition until we moved to town.

Dad lived to joke, tease, kid and play practical jokes on people. Dorothy and Darlene Wagner were Dad’s cousins. You know them as Dorothy Heins and Darlene Russett. Dad would always play, talk and tease them. They would do anything for Dad. I’ll let Dorothy tell you about the feather incident. Darlene said that one day Dad brought a girl to the picnic. He spent all his time with her and didn’t talk or play with the two of them. They really hated her. But after a time, they came to love my Mom.

I’ll never forget the time he told my aunt Jenny and I that the brussel sprouts we were eating were actually the centers from rotten cabbage. And one time Dad was going to pay me $.25 to climb in the hog feeder and knock all the feed down so it could be cleaned. I was lowering myself into the feeder, when I saw a mouse in it. That was it for me. I was not getting into that feeder. Dad said it was just one mouse and to stomp on it. No Way. Dad got in there and as I remember it, there were hundreds and hundreds of mice in it. Well, at least a dozen or dozen and a half. Lately, nurses trying to take his shoe off found themselves pulling off dad’s artificial leg, Dad never warned or stopped them. He got a chuckle when ever that happened..

Dad had a lawn care business which he really enjoyed. Mom and Dad’s lawns, landscaping and gardens always looked great. He loved the outdoors. He would much rather be outside than in. He loved to watch birds. He participated in counting birds for an organization for several years. He also loved to feed the birds. He had some red-boles last winter. They are native to Alaska and Canada and rarely seen in the U.S. He had about 20 at his feeders. Which he told everyone about.

Several years ago Dad borrowed a small, and I mean small, trailer. Which he used to attend the State Fair for a whole week. Erik and I went over to see him several times that week. Mom came down for the weekend. It was very hot, and they gave in and rented a motel room.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, stopped Dad from going places, not snowstorms, road construction, blocked roads or bad weather. It was unheard of to stay home during bad weather, he evened shovel the street in front of the house to get to work.


I always wanted a horse. So Dad traded his outboard motor and cash to buy me my pony, Prince. When I got too big to ride him, he made me a cart, so I could continue to enjoy my horse.

He loved to cook. He and Mom would always make the meals together. In Monona, he would treat family members to sourdough pancakes. My son, Erik couldn’t get over his grandpa cooking pancakes on a Weber grill.


My kids asked Mom how long it took Dad to milk the cows. She said about 45 minutes, unless he took Phyllis along, then it was an hour and a half. He would make nests in the straw for me. And sit me on my favorite cow. Occasionally, he would lay a saddle on the cow and I would sit there for hours.

Mom and Dad’s grandchildren enjoyed many trips with Mom and Dad. The start of this was when they took Tiffany to Milwaukee Zoo and a baseball game when she was about 2. And all the grandchilden would visit them for a few weeks every summer. They always had a lot of adventures. In 1984, Tiffany, Erik, Mom, Dad and I went to Yellowstone and Denver. We had a really really great vacation. We still talk about it. Everyone had a favorite story, including Dad and Erik plan to rob the Denver Mint with the help of a little Mexican boy.

Dad loved polka music. Which he played when he was milking. Lately, he loved to watch the Big Joe Polka Show on the RFD channel. In fact that was his favorite TV channel.

Dad didn’t think there was any other farm machinery than John Deere. He had all John Deere machines on the farm. He had many John Deere items including a John Deere bird feeder.

He loved his little westie, Abby. And she loved her Pa. She would go everywhere with him.

Dad had his first heart problem when he was 33 years old. He had his knee amputated when he was 79. He went through those with flying colors, because of his positive attitude, humor and kidding the doctors and nurses.

I’d like to end this with a report that Dad’s great-grandson and my grandson Dan wrote in the 2nd or 3rd grade. (Dan is now 19) It is called, My Hero.

My hero is my great-grandpa, Don Montour because he is so nice and friendly. Like if he goes to Wal-mart (Which he does everyday.) The first person he talks to, he will talk to for about an hour and than go to another person. Also, I pick him because I have a lot of memories. One of them is one time when he lived in his old house he took me and my brother in the woods and in the forest it looked like a cave and on one rock there was colors like the rainbow. Also, I pick him because I heard stories about him like him and my G-Grandma once owned a movie theater. Also, I like the year he was born because there were no cars back then. And when I go to his house and we play cards, he lets me and my brother cheat. The end.

Don Montour obituary

This is a very hard one to write.

Donald Virgil Montour, 82, of McGregor died Thursday July 9, 2009 at his home following a long illness. Donald was born August 21, 1926 in Monona Township, Clayton County, IA to Edward and Sophia (Wagner) Montour. He married Joyce Hinman on June 5, 1946 in Monona, IA. Donald farmed for a time near Monona, worked as a feed salesman, livestock buyer, owned a movie theater, managed the Farmersburg Mill and later ran a lawn care business.

He lived and worked in the Monona and McGregor area all of his life. Donald enjoyed remodeling their homes, hunting, fishing and outdoor activities as much as possible. He also enjoyed feeding and watching birds and helped with the bird count. He was a member of First Lutheran Church. He was a quick witted person and enjoyed visiting.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce, daughter Phyllis Montour of Norwalk, IA, son Greg Montour of Prairie du Chien, WI; grandchildren, Tiffany (John) Petermeier, Erik Rocksvold, Ben Montour, Kayti Montour; great grandchildren, Jakob and Daniel Petermeier, and Inara Montour; sisters-in-law Donnafred Hinman, Doris Swenson, Dorothy Hinman, Jennifer (Bruce) LeClere, numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son Douglas, three brothers Floyd, Harvey and Edward, sisters-in-law Imogene Montour and Delores Montour, brothers-in-laws: Warren Hinman, Alois Swenson, and James Hinman.

Memorial services were held Monday, July 13 at First Lutheran Church rural McGregor, with burial in Monona Cemetery, Monona, IA. Thornburg-Hanson Funeral Home in McGregor was in charge of arrangements.

Jenny and Bruce LeClere have a new grandson, Levi Jeffery

Layni and Mike Lindamood had a little boy some time today or last night. His name is Levi Jeffery. He weight 7 lbs. ?.

Dixie and Keith Kutzbach have a new grandson --- Samuel James Bauerle

Samuel James Bauerle, son of Stacie and Chris Bauerle was born Sat, July18, 2009 at 1:31 AM. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz and was 21" long. He has dark curly hair. And according to Dixie, "Brother Joshua is VERY proud of him."