Donald Komppa

 DONALD MARVIN KOMPPA

1937 - 2025

Donald Marvin Komppa, age 87, passed over into his Lord's care on January 7, 2025, at his home in Paddock Township. Donald was born at his family's home in Red Eye Township on June 18, 1937, the seventh of thirteen children born to Nestor and Senia (nee Burkman) Komppa, pioneers of Red Eye Township. Donald was confirmed to the Christian faith at Runeberg Apostolic Lutheran Church, west of Menahga. He attended school though the eighth grade at District 45 in Red Eye, then attended Sebeka High School.

At the age 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for four years, where he obtained his GED. He proudly served a large portion of his military duty in Thule, Greenland and Okinawa, Japan.

On January 12, 1962, Donald married the love of his life, Jane Rose Zartwell, in Brainerd, Minnesota. To their union, four children were born: Daniel Lee, Dana Gene, Denise Jo, and Dawn Jane. Don and Jane raised their family on their dairy farm in Paddock Township where they enjoyed the fruits of their labor, and the many joys of watching their children and grandchildren through the years.

Don was a man of many talents. Not only did he nurture his dairy farm, but he worked a variety of jobs throughout his lifetime. He was a farm hand as a teen to earn money to buy his first car and to help his parents. After his return from the U.S. Air Force, he worked as a mechanic in New York Mills and at the Sebeka Co-Operative station. He drove gravel truck for Menahga Concrete, worked as a carpenter, and ended his working career after 13 years at Homecrest Industries of Wadena. 

He "retired" at the age of 63 and bought himself a boat which he used twice. His children gifted him with a tackle box full of lures and hooks which to this day remain in their original packaging–he was just too busy to go fishing. After retirement, he continued to farm the land and raise beef cattle, with the help of his good friends and neighbors Allen Pauly and Doug Koskiniemi. He was also fortunate to have many other friends and neighbors who made his work light in his later years as his health declined. After his heart surgery in 2018, he purchased his side-by-side and loved to drive it all around the area, checking on the deer and what might be going on in the neighborhood. He loved the outdoors and was an avid deer hunter. His last hunting season in 2024 was yet another successful season, bagging three deer on his farm.

Don proudly served as a lifetime member of the Sebeka American Legion Post 456, where he served as commander and as a member of the Color Guard for many years. He also served as a member of the District Board. 

As a youth, Don played on the original Red Eye baseball team, a local league started by the Komppa and Makela neighborhood boys and later for the amateur men's league team for Red Eye. You could always find him on Sunday afternoon at the ballpark. He dressed to play until he was 48 years old! Don also served many years as an umpire for the team, as well as for Legion ball. The love of baseball remained with Don and his brothers throughout their lifetimes. 

His favorite pastimes also included bowling. He bowled on the Sebeka Cenex men's league for many years; later his wife Jane joined with him to bowl on the Cenex doubles team. He was quite proud of his bowling, especially his unique two-hole ball that he had purchased at a secondhand store for less than a dollar. 

Love of family was in the center of his life. He was so very proud of his children and grandchildren and of the lives they made. He and Jane always joked that they had the kids for entertainment, as they were always up to something! His grand- and great-grandchildren will always cherish the memory of him having peppermint candies in his front shirt pocket for them.

He also loved his big extended family. After his mother passed away in 1978, Don would make his famous homemade beans for all family gatherings. He was a kind, loving man who was always ready to lend a hand, and was a friend to everyone he met. 

Donald is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jane, and their four children: Daniel (Brenda) Komppa of Avon, MN; Dana Komppa and Debbie Newhouse of Sebeka; Denise (Lyle) Schwartz of Menahga, and Dawn Komppa and Rick Kruger of Menahga; grandchildren: Emma Komppa, Eldon Komppa, Levi (Hannah) Schwartz of Menahga, and Leah (David) Pietila of Menahga; and two great-grandchildren, Aili and Anders Pietila; two brothers, Fred (Evelyn) Komppa of Hibbing, MN and Gary Komppa of Colorado City, Texas; one sister, Linda (Bruce) Levander of Gilbert, Minnesota; one sister-in-law, Rebecca Komppa of Sebeka; two brothers-in-law, Ralph Zartwell of Menahga and Donald Zartwell of Eugene, Oregon; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Nestor and Senia Komppa; five brothers, Gene, Andrew, Arve, Clifford and Larry; four sisters, Florence, who died as an infant, Annie Komppa, Hazel Schmitz, and Ruth Carpenter; two sisters-in-law, Shirley Komppa and Ruth Komppa; two brothers-in-law, Calvin Carpenter and Jack Schmitz; six nephews, Michael Levander, Chuck Komppa, Jake Anderson, Craig Anderson, Gary Komppa and Travis Friesner; one niece, Senia (Komppa) Munoz; and one son-in-law, David L. Brown.

Funeral services for Donald Komppa will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 20, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Sebeka. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Visitation will also be held at Wevley Funeral Home in Sebeka from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19th.