Donald "Hooter" Maunu

Donald “Hooter” Maunu, 74, of Frederick, SD, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Frederick.

There will be a time for fellowship and luncheon immediately following the service.

Burial will be after the luncheon at Wayside Cemetery in Frederick, SD, with Military Honors.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, at Schriver’s Memorial Chapel, with a prayer service to begin at 7 p.m.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com. Services will be recorded and posted on Schriver’s website following the service.

Donald Sydney Maunu was born on July 1, 1950, to Beverly (Ortner) and Eric Maunu in Ellendale, ND. He grew up in Frederick, SD, with his family. He often recalled that there were a lot of other kids on their block, so there was always a game or activity. According to legend, mischief was always nipping at his heels, which is why he always had to keep moving.

During his high school years, he started working at the Hart farm. On the weekends he often followed a local band, The Persuaders, to many of the surrounding towns this allowed him to increase the number of people that he met which added to the foundation of his personality.

After graduating from Frederick High School in 1968, he entered the workforce until joining the United States Army in 1969. He was stationed in Fort Lewis where he was part of the funeral detail and then was stationed in Germany until his discharge in early 1972. After the service, he returned to Frederick where he met Susan Anderson who had moved to Frederick to teach. Of meeting Susan (his Suzie) he said “At first she didn’t want nothin to do with me, so I had try a lot harder” They were married on November 24, 1973 in Langford SD and continued to reside in Frederick. Donald and Susan welcomed their only son, Corey (his Punky) in the summer of 1976.

He worked in construction for many years, of which over 10 years was operating the asphalt hot plant. He started working for the Brown County Highway Department from the fall of 1989 until his health caused him to “slow down” in 2001. It was rewarding to him to see what could be accomplished with heavy equipment including his own payloader, road grader, telehandler, dump truck and skid steer.

His hobbies often included collecting things, including certain years of tractors, pickups, cars and jeeps. As he equally enjoyed finding and making a deal on his collectibles and sharing their history with others. If there was a parade in the area, he always tried to have a new entry or two.

Donald was happiest if he had lots of irons in the fire, whether those irons were related to owning the Ponderosa Bar in Frederick where there were many hours of playing card games or shooting pool. After moving to the farm a few of the irons included working with cattle or putting up hay for himself or helping neighbors.

Checking in with people was something that he enjoyed and would make time for that activity. A benefit of having many conversations was the chance to tell a story or two or three and some of those stories may have included a slight exaggeration.

Donald is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sue; son Corey (Lori) Maunu; grandchildren: Lucas, Chelsey (Kyle), Briana (Duston); great Grandchildren: Gage, Everleigh, Jayden, Bentleigh, Greyson, Ryleigh and Wyatt; Sisters: Gayle (Rich) Bakeberg, Sandi Bakeberg, Carol (Russ) Sayler, Karen (Chuck) Minard; Brothers: Dana Maunu, Richard Maunu; Several nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews.

Donald was preceded in death by his mother Beverly, step-father Carl Meyer, and father Eric Maunu; Brother-in-Law Randy Bakeberg; and Brother-in-Law Roger Anderson.