Donald R. Trummel, 93

St. Cloud, MN

May 8, 1930 – July 19, 2023

Donald Russell Trummel, 93, of St. Cloud, MN passed away July 19, 2023 at the St. Cloud Hospital. 

A graveside service, with military honors, will be held Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 1:00 PM, at North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, MN.  A reception will follow the burial at First Presbyterian Church, St. Cloud, MN. Funeral arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.

Don was born May 8, 1930, in Decatur, Illinois to Russell and Grace (Phillips) Trummel.  He married the love of his life, Marlene Fay Junk on June 9, 1957, at West Point, Illinois.

            Don and Marlene loved each other greatly and loved spending time together over their 66 years of marriage.  They spent many years ballroom dancing and dancing the swing, cross country skiing, and walking down and around Clemens and Munsinger Gardens.

            Don was a 1948 graduate of Bushnell High School and a graduate of Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1955.  He went on to get his Master of Science degree and Ph.D. and, thereafter, committed his life to education.  He retired as a Full Professor from St Cloud State University where he taught Physics for over 33 years.  Don was also a veteran, completing a tour in Europe during his younger years in the early 1950s.

            While academic education was a big part of Don’s life, his number one priority was family.  He always looked for opportunities to spend time with Marlene and their three sons.  He loved to fish, camp and travel.  A favorite family memory is the adventure to the Alaskan wilderness in 1972 in the station wagon with a canoe strapped on top along with a pop-up camper he designed and made himself.

            As a physicist, his mind was sharp and he shared his wisdom with many. He was the ultimate handyman.  He frequently did DIY projects at home and built many things from scratch including a canoe, calculator, computer, and dresser to name just a few.

            Don loved the outdoors.  He enjoyed cross country skiing in the winter and taking long walks along the river in the summer.  As an Eagle Scout, he taught his sons all about the great outdoors.   This was done by countless camping trips with him in both summer and winter, fishing along the Mississippi and in Minnesota lakes, and canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters.  His children learned from him and followed his lead to also become Eagle Scouts.

            Donald is survived by his wife Marlene, three sons, Donald Trummel (Tammy) of Nashville, TN, Gary Trummel (Geri) of Bloomington, MN and David Trummel (Marjorie) of Fishers, IN; and 7 grandchildren – Taylor, Austin, Isaiah, Daniel, Sean, Madelynn and Samuel.  He is preceded in death by infant son, Darrel Ray and infant grandchildren Spencer David and Samantha Fay.

            The family would like to thank the staff of Arise Home Care that provided home care services and helped look after Don and Marlene with a loving and caring approach in Don and Marlene’s final years at their home.

            Donations may be given to SCSU physics department, Munsinger and Clemens Gardens, or other organizations of your choosing in memory of Don.