Donald Arthur Qualey

Donald Arthur Qualey was born September 15, 1933 in Spring Grove, Minnesota to Arthur and Gladys (Vik) Qualey.

Donald attended school in Spring Grove and was an energetic child who was always eager to help anyone that needed him to. He joined the military in 1953 and completed basic training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Donald was a Korean War era veteran and part of the 7th Field Artillery Battalion, serving at an Army post in Schweinfurt, Germany until 1955. For his service, he received the “National Defense Service Medal” and the “Army of Occupation Medal (Germany)”

Don was very proud and often talked about receiving an award for the fastest time disassembling and reassembling an M1 Garand rifle blindfolded. He loved to talk about his time in the service, sharing many stories of that time. After his time in the service, he lived in Minneapolis and worked for an auto glass company, where he first started to learn his auto glass skills.

While in Minneapolis he met and then married his first wife, Donabell Joy Brecht, in 1956. They moved to Fargo and had four children; Scott, Naomi, Mark and Cory. During their 23 years of marriage, they took care of more than 30 foster babies.

Don worked at Tri-State Auction for 15 years where he continued to work in the auto glass field and also worked as a Chrysler inspector. He opened A-1 Auto Glass with his long time friend Dale Walker in 1975, and later worked for Halvorson Investment until he retired.

Don married Janis Price in 1989. Janis has two sons; Kevin and Kraig. Don and Janis loved their time with their children and grandchildren. They loved animals and never past up an opportunity to say hi, pet, and feed them. They probably have the best fed squirrels in the area.

Don liked to fish along with spending time with friends and family. He loved his children and grandchildren more than he could express and wished that his health conditions would have allowed him to spend more time with them. His eyes would light up and his smile would show his happiness whenever they were around.

Don passed away the morning of Friday, May 9, 2014 at Villa Maria Nursing Home, with his wife, Jan, by his side, after a long and courageous battle with health issues. He worked hard to regain his strength, never giving up hope that his health would improve.

Don is survived by his wife, Janis; four children, Scott, Naomi, Mark and Cory; Janis’s children, Kevin and Kraig; grandchildren, Amanda, Michael, Kayla, Taylor, Kai and Ian; sister, Evelyn; brother, Arnold; numerous nieces and nephews; and many other family and friends that he will dearly miss.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Gladys; brother, Norvin; first wife, Donabell; and grandson, Kyle Michael Schaffer.