Donald H. Quimby

Click here to view Donald's Liturgical Wake service.

Click here to view Donald's Mass of Christian burial.

Donald H. Quimby, 77, of Brandon, SD and formerly of Hecla, Frederick, Gettysburg, and Parkston, SD, passed away Thursday, April 26, 2018, at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage in Sioux Falls, SD.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 5, 2018, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 409 2nd Avenue NE, Aberdeen, with Father Grant Lacey as celebrant.

Interment follows at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Friday, at the mortuary, with a liturgical wake service, led by Father Michael Griffin, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at the church on Saturday.

Friends may sign Donald’s online guestbook and also view his service via the live stream service link at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Donald Henry Quimby was born May 28, 1940 to Herman and Freida (Buntz) Quimby in Newport, New Hampshire.  Donald graduated from Towle High School in 1958.  He attended Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD on a football scholarship and graduated in 1964 and earned his Master’s Degree in Education.

On June 1, 1963, Donald married Margaret “Muggs” Schwan at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aberdeen.  They had three children:  Kevin, Staci and Nicole.

In 1964, Donald accepted a teaching/coaching position in Hecla, SD, where he remained until 1971, at which time he became a Secondary Principal at Frederick, SD.  In 1976, Donald became Superintendent at Frederick and held that position until 1984.  During the years of 1984-1985, Donald served as Secondary Principal at Metlakatla, Alaska before accepting the Superintendent position in Gettysburg, SD in 1985, where he worked until 1991.  Donald then became Superintendent in Parkston, SD and remained there until his retirement in 2003.  That same year, Donald and Muggs moved to Brandon, SD.  He came out of retirement from 2007 until 2009 to become Superintendent in the Plankinton, SD Public Schools and also did superintendent searches for McPherson and Jacobson Consulting Company out of Omaha, NE.

Among Donald’s numerous achievements are the honor of being selected as South Dakota Outstanding Superintendent in 1994, Superintendent of the Year in 1995, being elected to the Executive Committee of the South Dakota School Superintendents Association, being appointed by Governor Mickelson to the Educational Study Committee, serving for years as Legislative Chair for School Administrators of South Dakota, serving as President of the South Dakota School Superintendents Association and also serving as President of the Gettysburg Rotary Club.

Donald was a member of the School Administrators of South Dakota, American Association of School Administrators, South Dakota School Superintendents Association, South Dakota Beadle Club, South Dakota Educational Association, Alaska Secondary School Principals Association, National Secondary School Principals Association and the Aberdeen Elks Club.

Donald enjoyed time with his family, fishing, camping, golfing, and wintering in Arizona.  He also loved sports, especially the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 55 years, Margaret “Muggs” Quimby of Brandon, SD; son, Kevin (Lori) Quimby of Sioux Falls, SD; daughters, Staci Quimby of Brandon, SD and Nicole (Kris) Palmquist of Clear Lake, SD; granddaughters, Jessica (Ben) Lamfers of Clear Lake and Karsen Hauser of Brandon; and grandson, Tyson Palmquist of Clear Lake.  Donald is also survived by one sister, Shirlee (Eddie) Karr of Newport, NH; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Donald is preceded in death by his father, Herman Quimby and stepmother, Gloria Brown; his mother, Freida Quimby; one sister, Louise Chambers; and two brothers, Francis Quimby and Robert Quimby.   

Donald’s family prefers that memorials be made to the Donald H. Quimby Education Scholarship Fund, c/o Margaret Quimby, 108 W Mountain Ash St., Brandon, SD  57005.

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