Daniel Doyle Hilkerbaumer

Memorial Service: https://vimeo.com/932656068

Daniel Doyle Carr was born 9/13/1939 to Charles and Ethel Carr in Lusk, WY. Dan had two older brothers, John and James. When Dan was 5, Jim was 7, and John was 9, they were taken from their parents by the state of Montana. Dan spent time in foster care, but his older brothers were sent to a halfway house.

Dan was adopted by William and Cora (Quanbeck) Hilkerbaumer.  His brothers were adopted by the Reavises. The brothers wouldn't see each other for another 3-4 years when the Reavis family traveled through MT.

Dan grew up on a farm in Shepherd, MT, near Billings. A few years after his father died, Dan came to Fargo to attend Oak Grove Lutheran High School, as his mother and several Quanbeck uncles and cousins had done. He reunited with his brother Jim at Oak Grove, and they both lived in the boys' dormitory. Dan made many friends with whom he is still in contact and became a multiple-letter winner before graduating in 1957.

Along with several classmates, Dan entered Army training at Ft Leonardwood, MO. Summers were spent in Idaho and Washington states, where his mother was living.

Dan came back to Fargo in 1958 to attend his brother Jim's wedding to Sandra Dietz, whose best friend was Karol Johnson, also from Oak Grove class of '57. It was at this wedding that Dan and Karol started their own "happily ever after". Dan and Karol were married 9/04/1959.  In 1961 Susan was born, and in 1966, Sheila was born.

Dan worked as a mechanic for 30 years at Berkey Crary Lincoln Mercury, later Lunde, and the last ten years as Service Manager.  In 1990, he established DDH Auto Repair out of his home garage, where he worked with Karol as his bookkeeper until the house was sold in 2018.

Dan played and managed fast-pitch softball, bowled in 2 leagues, and was very active with the Fraternal Order of Eagles. While with the Eagles,  he served all local and state officer chairs, including being a trustee, and was the club secretary until 2022. Notably, Dan chaired the diabetes fund and enjoyed serving on the committee that awarded scholarships to local college students. Dan won several awards from the Eagles and Oak Grove for his dedicated service.

Dan enjoyed visiting and making friends wherever they went, history, sports, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and - don't forget - daily Jeopardy episodes! He and Karol visited over 40 state capitals and Washington, DC, and more museums than we can count - where he read every placard! He loved it when people would stop at the garage.  We think there was more visiting than working on cars later in life.  He especially liked giving hugs.

Dan is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Karol; daughters, Sue (Randy Granberg) – Fargo and Sheila (Eric) Seelau - Ft Myers, FL; brother-in-law, Paul (Sue) Johnson - Detroit Lakes, MN; sister-in-law, Donna Reavis - Pocatello, ID; and several Reavis nieces and nephews.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, William Hilkerbaumer and Cora Riggs; step-father, Henry Riggs; in-laws, Robert and Minnie Johnson; and brothers, John Reavis and Jim (Sandy) Reavis.

A special thank you to Linda Monge for providing transportation to church and doctor appointments after Dan finally gave up driving.

Memorials preferred to Oak Grove Lutheran School and the Fraternal Order of Eagles' Heart and Diabetes Funds.