Donald Keith Silker

Obituary

Donald Keith Silker was born May 3, 1930 in Brookfield Township, Renville County, Minnesota, the son of Donald F. and Ruth G. (Lund) Silker. He was baptized on December 14, 1930 at the First Lutheran Church in Hector by Pastor Palm. He was confirmed in his faith and accepted into church membership at Churchill Methodist Church on May 20, 1945 by Pastor Peterson. Don grew up in Brookfield Township, and attended school in Hector. He graduated from the Hector High School with the Class of 1948. 

On October 11, 1955, Don was united in marriage to Mary Kloempken at the First Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake, Iowa. They made their home in Brookfield Township where they raised three children, Karen, PennyJo, and Peter. Don and Mary had shared 61 years of marriage. 

Don was a farmer all his life. He loved the land and was also a feed salesman with Form-A-Feed. Following his retirement from farming, he raised wild game birds. Don was a Mason, and belonged to the Hector Masonic Lodge #158 and the International Peace Gardens Masonic Lodge. He was a member of the Eastern Star. He loved birds and belonged to the Minnesota Game Breeders Bird Club. Family was extremely important to him, and he treasured and loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

On Monday, August 21, 2017, Don passed away at the Buffalo Lake Healthcare Center following a brief stay. He had reached the age of 87 years. Blessed be his memory. 

Don is survived by his: 

Wife, Mary Silker of Hector; 

Children: Karen Raske and her husband Larry of Cosmos,
          PennyJo Peterson and her husband Donald of Bird Island, and
          Peter Silker of Hector; 

Grandchildren: Sarah (Shaun) Remmel, Molly (Seth) Greenlund, Brent (Rachael) Raske, Cassandra Peterson, and Andrew Peterson; 

Great-Grandchildren, Ethan and Mia Remmel; 

Brother, Neil Silker and his wife, Jane, of Windom; 

Sister-in-law Kathleen Zimmer of Olivia; 

nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. 

Don was preceded in death by his parents, his infant Daughter Sarah Elizabeth on February 22, 1963, his Sister Patricia Fluhrer and her husband Orlo, and by his Brothers-in-law David Kloempken and Delton Zimmer.