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Donald Richard Schnurr, born September 20, 1947 in Fort Dodge, passed away on February 8, 2021 in Naples, Florida.
A family prayer service will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 14, at Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services, followed by visitation for the public from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Masks and social distancing will be required at the funeral home. A family memorial Mass of the Christian Burial will be held Monday at St. Thomas Church in Manson, with interment following at St. Thomas Cemetery. The Mass will be recorded and placed on Donald's obituary page at www.gundersonfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Twin Lake Restoration Association, Box 15, Rockwell City, Iowa, 50579.
Don is survived by his wife of 53 years Darlene, children, Jodi (Dave) Halligan, Christine Schnurr, Staci (Darren) Burr, Don II (Tammy) Schnurr, 12 granchildren, one great grandchild; siblings, Tom (Beth) Schnurr and Sally (Bruce) Shimkat. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Jean Schnurr, brothers, Pat and Matt Schnurr.
Don grew up in Fort Dodge, graduated from St. Edmond High School in 1965. He then attended Iowa Central Community College for two years. Don and Darlene were married in 1967 and moved to Iowa City so that Don could pursue his accounting degree from the University of Iowa. He started his professional career with a national accounting firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After spending two years with that firm, he and his family returned to Fort Dodge, their hometown, to work for a local CPA firm. He was admitted as a partner in 1973 to the firm then known as Gene C. Gutknecht & Company. In 1979 the firm name changed to Schnurr & Company. The firm maintained growth over the years and expanded into areas of consulting and client data processing, as well as estate planning and various other financial areas to its present size today.
Don was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants (Life Member). He was a member of various civic organizations including the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance Ambassadors, Treasurer of the Fort Dodge Betterment Foundation and Webster County Improvement Corporation, Fort Dodge Noon Rotary, President of the Twin Lake Restoration Association Foundation, Blank Children's Hospital board member, board member of the Community Foundation and United Way and Past President of the Greater Fort Dodge Area Chamber of Commerce.
Don took pride in his craft as a CPA and served his clients with the utmost care. Don was strong in his faith and imparted this on his family. Don was a Twin Lakes legend and it didn't take long to get to know him, everyone was welcomed into his home. Don had an individual relationship with each of his grandchildren, which attests to how important family was to him.
Don was the most loyal, selfless, inspirational and disciplined person. He would always ask those he loved, "Do you know what?……..I love you." Don loved the lake, family, his friends and more than anything, his wife. Don Schnurr will be missed by many.