Donald L. Niebrugge was born on August 9, 1932, in Huron, SD. He spent most of his childhood in Rapid City, SD. After graduating from Rapid City High School in 1951, Don enlisted in the United States Air Force serving four years including active duty during the Korean War.
He returned stateside and was stationed in Rapid City when he met Barbara Joens. They were married June 1, 1954. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1955, Don enrolled at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where he completed his degree in Civil Engineering while working part-time with Peter Kiewit Sons. Upon graduation from SDSMT, Don worked for the FAA as an inspector in Oregon briefly before returning to South Dakota and taking a position with Peter Kiewit.
This job took Don & Barbara across the North Central United States including jobs in Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and eventually the Indian Nations Turnpike in Oklahoma in 1968. After moving the family to Oklahoma, they decided to put down roots and stay in one location. Don took a job with Shell Construction as General Superintendent in 1974. Over the next 18 years, he successfully ran the company and bought out the remaining partners, owning 100% of the shares by 1992. His son Donny joined him at Shell in 1990 where they worked together until Don’s retirement in 2000; he maintained controlling shares in the Company until 2012.
Although their traveling days were over professionally, Don and Barbara enjoyed taking trips with family and friends to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Tunica, Shreveport, Puerto Vallarta, and Cancun. A devoted grandfather, Don loved to talk about his grandchildren and have text conversations with them. Their children and grandchildren fondly remember the many summer nights and weekends spent lounging around the pool while Don manned the barbecue.
Don passed away June 13, 2019, after a short battle with cancer. He died peacefully surrounded by his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Heinrich Friedrich and Elizabeth Alt Niebrugge, and siblings Harold Henry, Elsie, Leonard August (Bud), Herman Lloyd (Boots), William Robert, Helen Elizabeth and Carl Henry.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Barbara; his daughters and their husbands, Dale Diane & Mike Duke, Lisa Marie & John Williams, and son and his wife, Donny Robert Niebrugge and Joey, all of Edmond, Oklahoma; grandchildren Michael Duke and wife Jamie of Nashville, Jeffrey Duke of Nashville, Courtney Duke of Oklahoma City, Cole Williams and Jake Williams of Edmond, DJ Niebrugge and wife Skylar of the Village, Lindsey Niebrugge and Teague Niebrugge of Edmond, great-grandson Michael Allen Duke of Nashville, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Services scheduled in honor of Don’s life at Chapel Hill Funeral Home are as follows: Visitation Sunday, June 16th 4-7p with family to receive friends from 5-7p; Funeral Service Monday, June 17th at 2p with private interment to follow service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society or the Batten Disease Support & Research Association.
