Donald Albert Yauch, age 88 of Menomonie, formerly of Elmwood, Wisconsin, died Sunday December 24, 2023, at The Neighbors of Dunn County in Menomonie.
Don was born February 5, 1935, in Spring Lake Township of Pierce County. He was the son of Harvey Sr. and Minne (Ziehme) Yauch. Don attended Elmwood Schools. During his school years, he worked at Sailer’s Market bagging potatoes and stocking shelves; Mrs. Collett’s grocery store where he was paid with candy; from 1947 to 1953 at Effie’s where he had to clean the soft serve ice cream machine and worked behind the counter during lunch time and restocked the pop coolers; from 1948 to 1950, he also mowed at the Farm Hill Cemetery.
Don enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 11, 1955, for three years, spending two years in Germany. He was stationed in Aschaffenburg Germany where he finished high school. Don was with the infantry from 1955 to 1956, then as a gunner on the 57mm Recoils Rifle and in 1957, he attended artillery surveyor school in Murnau, Germany. He was an artillery surveyor for the 280 mil. cannons in Baumholder, Germany. Don was honorably discharged in December of 1957.
Don married Marian Gibson Mousel on May 27, 1958, in Elmwood. They lived most of their lives in Elmwood before moving to Menomonie in 2018.
Don worked various part-time and full-time jobs in the Elmwood area. He worked at two gas stations; hauled both canned and bulk milk for Krings Brothers and his brother Lyle; worked cleanup shift at the Elmwood Creamery; drove school bus; worked for Sweeney Brothers Construction for a year in 1965, building the interstate highway.
In 1966, Don began working for Jesse Phillips Feed Mill and worked there until the business was sold to Durand Cooperative. During this time, he also delivered the St. Paul Pioneer Press Sunday paper from 1967 to 1982. He continued to work for Durand Cooperative until 1991.
Don was also a substitute for both the Elmwood and Spring Valley Post Offices as a rural carrier. He also drove part time for Jim Lamm Trucking. From 1992 to 1997, Don worked at the Cenex Hardware in Menomonie until he began his full-time mail route for the Elmwood Post Office in 1997. He retired from the Postal Service in 2002 after 12 years of service.
Don joined the Elmwood Fire Department as a volunteer in 1958 and retired after 35 years of service to the department. He attended EMT training school from 1974 to 1977 and began serving the Elmwood Ambulance Service for many years, along with his wife, Marian. Don also served two terms on the Elmwood Village Board in the mid-1980’s.
Don is survived by daughters, Tammy (Jerry) Wolf of Elmwood and Nadene Yauch of Georgia; step-daughters, Deborah (Tom) Sinz of Arizona and Ann Mousel of Georgia; step-daughter-in-law, Kathy Mousel of Menomonie; three grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, six great grandchildren and seven step-great grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Stan Schulte of Nipomo, CA; Jerry Gibson of Wakon, IA, and Bill (Jan) Gibson of Eau Claire; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents and stepmother, Dolly, wife Marian in February 2020; a stepson, Thomas Mousel; brothers, Lyle, Charles “Bud”, and Harvey Jr.; sisters, Carol Alton, Eileen Maxfield Anderson, Lorraine Young and Delores Schulte.
The family would like to thank the staff of Mayo Health System in Menomonie and Eau Claire, Welcome Home Assisted Living in Elmwood, The Neighbors of Dunn County and St. Croix Hospice for the considerate and compassionate care.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Thursday January 4, 2024, at the Welcome Home Assisted Living in Elmwood. The burial will be at Poplar Hill Cemetery, rural Elmwood at a later date.
Condolences to the family may be made online at rhielfuneralhome.com.
Rhiel Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Menomonie is serving the family.
