Donald C. Fear, 78, Milford

A Mass of Christian Burial for Donald Fear was held Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Burial was at Lone Tree Cemetery near Everly. Turner Jenness Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Donald Clifford Fear was born on Oct. 2, 1943, to Clifford and Lucille (Bleeker) Fear, the second of eight children. He graduated from Everly High School in 1962 and headed to southern California with plans of establishing residency to attend college. Don found work in a restaurant in hotel circle in San Diego where he quickly worked up the ranks, training under a French chef and becoming a chef himself. Don also met a cute waitress there and fell in love. He married Joyce Silva Tennant on March 12, 1964, and they, along with Steven, Jean and David Tennant, became a family. Donna Marie and Kristi Kay were soon born into their brood.

Don advanced in his profession due to his excellent management and business skills and work ethic, which he used in many endeavors. In 1971, they moved their family to Everly, where Don joined his dad in the family trucking business. Don and his brother Steve later opened Everly Express trucking. His love of feeding and serving people was always present, and Don and Joyce also ran the kitchen at Meadowbrook Country Club for a summer and The Branding Iron at the Clay County Fair for several years. Later they purchased The Ranch in Everly, which became known for its lunch specials and Friday night steak fries.

While Don could often see when and where systems and things could be run better, he never had a bad word to say about anyone and his family was everything. He was a hard worker and so generous and kind-hearted. In his later years, Don enjoyed living up in Wahpeton on the canals of West Lake Okoboji.

Donald died on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the age of 78. Left to cherish his memory are children: Steven Tennant, of Hanford, Calif.; Dave (Linda) Tennant, of Omaha, Neb.; Donna (Delbert) Struve, of Hartley; and Kristi (Steve) Wilson, of Mediapolis; siblings: Betty (Dean Holst) Walton, of Everly; Steve (Rose) Fear, of Everly; Bonnie Fear, of Marion; Bruce (Bonnie) Fear, of Loveland, Colo.; Becky (Mike) Hatting, of Spencer; and Brad (Beth) Fear, of Everly; grandchildren: Holly Tennant, David Tennant, John (Christina) Tennant, Shaun (Jenny Logan) Iske, Paul Iske, Toni (Cory) Sonner, Matt (Laura) Tennant, Brett (Amber) Struve, Britney (Bryan Holmberg) Struve, Jordan (Chad) VanEss, Nate (Kasey) Haberman, Jake (Tosha Martin) Wilson, Zach Wilson and Ben Wilson; great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many other relatives and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 50 years, Joyce; his parents; sister, Beverly Maher; brothers-in-law, Larry Walton and Vincent Maher; Jean Tennant and her husband, Grover Reiser; and daughter-in-law, Cindy Tennant.