Donald Melvin Reko, Sr.

When Donald Melvin Reko Sr. walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Donald was and how he impacted those around him. Donald was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Donald wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Donald was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.

Donald was born on June 30, 1944, at home, in Los Angeles, California. He was the son of Howard and Emma Reko. Donald was raised in Blue Earth, MN. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Donald might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Donald was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

Donald was raised with one brother, Jim Reko. Donald was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Donald was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Donald well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

As a young boy, Donald was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Donald was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. He enjoyed being in the 4-H Club. In his spare time he liked to go fishing with his Dad. His Mom was very active on the fair board, so needless to say, so was Don in fair projects. Donald had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.

During his high school years, Donald responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. He graduated from Blue Earth High School in 1962. Donald was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. Donald absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. For Donald, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Donald a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite class in high school was Math. Don played French Horn in the high school Band/Orchestra, was a member of the Glee Club and played baseball. In high school, he achieved a variety of awards for his 4-H work.

Don attended Mankato Area Vocational Technical School where he studied civil technology. He later also attended another Technical School to get his heating and air conditioning certification. Donald was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to adult life with little difficulty. Donald was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, Donald was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Donald was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, friends. Chuck McCleary, Linda, Lauren Eckhart, Daryl Murray, Gary Paschke, Charles Strack, Nancy and Margaret Reko and Ray Rhoada.

On May 9, 1964 Donald married Viola "Vi" Carol Williams at Emmanuel Lutheran of Blue Earth, MN. Donald's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Viola's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. Donald was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family.

Donald was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Donald, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Reko home. Donald's skill at understanding his children's feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Donald and Vi were blessed with 4 children: Kristine "Kris", Donald "Don Jr", Jennifer "Jenn" and Jonathon "Jon". They were also blessed with 9, Kassandra "Kassie", Kala, Kyle, Matthew "Matt", Emma, Rachel "Rachee", Kaitlin "Katy", Lorrice "Reecie" And Seth "Sethers".

Donald was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. Don was known to do whatever it took to take care of his family. He was a "jack of all trades, master of none". There seemed to be nothing that he had not done. Don worked in sales; retail and machinery. He was a surveyor for several years, He went to school to learn HVAC and did that for many years. His last 12 years, he was employed by Walmart as a dept. Manager. Donald was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. Donald had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. Donald's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

Donald was in the Air Force and the Army Reserves. Don's Air Force career, as with many military families, kept his family traveling approximately every 2-3 years. Don, started at Colorado Springs, CO for basic training. He attended Tech School at Lackland AFB to learn Aircraft Mechanics and navigation. He was then stationed in Amarillo, TX where he met Vi. Shortly after their marriage he received orders for Vietnam. When returning from Vietnam, his orders were to report to Duluth, MN. Don, Vi and infant Kristine transferred to Duluth, MN. The family was there for a short term and then they moved to Manchester, NH. Orders for Korea came and the family at this time moved to Blue Earth, MN, to the family homestead, where Vi was expecting another child, Don, Jr.. After this tour, in Korea, Don was stationed in Kansas City where Jennifer was born in 1971. He left active military service in 1971 and entered the reserves where he remained for the next 4 years. Donald saw action in Vietnam. Through his hard work and dedication, Don achieved a final rank of Staff Sergeant. He received several awards including a Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (RVCM), Air Force Good Conduct Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster (AFGCM w/1 OLC), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). His fellow soldiers could count on him for being able to make adjustments to any situation as needed. After leaving the reserves and spending a few more years in Southern Minnesota, the family relocated to Amarillo, TX in 1978. A few years later, Jon was born in 1985.

Don's favorite leisure time pursuits were fishing and bowling until his developed back problems, then he became a sideline coach for all, whether they wanted it or not! Donald was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Nascar, football (Vikings & Chiefs) and golf which he slept through most of but always saw the end. Don enjoyed 4 Part Barbershop harmony. He had a very musical family and his dream was to get the family singing all at once! Whether listening to the radio or karaoke, his favorite songs were "King of the Road" and "Going to Kansas City". Donald had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Donald's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Throughout his life, Donald was actively involved in professional and community organizations. He was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Donald seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Donald usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. In high school, Donald was a member of the Glee Club, 4-H, Band and Orchestra. Throughout his later years, Donald was an active member of the American Legion in Mankato, MN and he was active in the Elks in Amarillo, TX.

Donald was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. Don's roots were in the Lutheran church but in later years he moved to the Methodist affiliation. While living in the Phoenix, AZ area, he was employed at Velda Rose United Methodist Church. His property maintenance for inside and out. He did everything from working the sound boards, setting up and tearing down for special events and of course ground maintenance. He also ushered and pretty much did anything that was requested of him. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for his beliefs.

Though he never did anything solely for individual recognition, Donald's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned him accolades for his many lifelong efforts. While working at Walmart, Don earned his 10 years of service pin and plaque. He was also promoted to Zone Supervisor. When working with Case Tractor in Mankato, MN, he achieved top sales many times. He also won the dinette set that the family still gathers at today. This table is approximately 30 years old.

Donald's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Donald took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. Don loved to travel anywhere that involved water and fishing. Don and Vi visited Niagara Falls. They also went to Mount Rushmore with their son Jon and granddaughter Kala. A photo he took there was entered into an amateur photo contest. His picture was chosen. He was in the process of planning a vacation for all the family to be together around one of the local lakes. He always loved to travel to see his children where ever they were located.

Donald was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Don always had dogs around him. At the Blue Earth homestead, he had a border collie named Cindy. The children had a knack for having stray animals follow them home and then somehow magically appeared to be our dog! He owned two basset hounds both ironically named "Beauregard" and since has become great-grandparents of Max (a pug) and Kazi (a pit bull).

Donald Reko passed away on April 12, 2010, in St. Joseph Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri. It was a massive stroke that took Don. He is survived by his wife, Viola; children Kristine, Don Jr., Jennifer & Jonathan; grandchildren Kassandra, Kala, Kyle, Matthew, Emma, Rachel, Kaitlin, Lorrice & Seth. Services were held at McGilley & George Funeral Home in Grandview, Missouri.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Donald. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Donald Reko for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Donald was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.