AURORA, IL - Donald Edward Novak, age 91, formerly of Montfort, WI passed away Wednesday evening November 7, 2012 at the home of his daughter, Betty.
Donald was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on September 13, 1921, the eldest son of Edward and Marie (Rehurek) Novak. The family moved from their farm in Tabor, Minnesota, to the farm in Montfort, Wisconsin, when Donald was 15 months old. He attended Oak Grove Country School and graduated from Montfort High School in 1939. Donald was a member of the Montfort United Methodist Church since 1930. He sang in the choir, was Superintendent of Sunday School, taught junior high classes, and served on the membership committee for the new church.
Donald attended Platteville State Teachers College until World War II in 1942, when he enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the 140th Infantry Military Police, serving until he was honorably discharged in February 1946.
On August 10, 1946, he married Evelyn Ann Rabinak at the Euclid Avenue Methodist Church in Oak Park, Illinois, and they celebrated 66 years together. They moved to Platteville, Wisconsin, where Donald completed his degree in Agricultural Education with honors in 1947. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity.
They purchased the family farm in Montfort, which became the Don-Ev Angus Farm, and raised registered Black Angus cattle for over 57 years with cattle sold to buyers nationwide. In 1995, the American Aberdeen Angus Association certified the Don-Ev Angus Farm as a historic herd. Donald was a lifetime member of the Association and a member of the Wisconsin Angus Association. He was very proud of his daughters, who worked with and showed prize-winning cattle at the county and state fairs. They received showmanship awards and represented the Association at fairs and livestock expositions.
Donald was a member of the school board that organized five villages and surrounding rural schools to form the Iowa-Grant School District. The building for the high school was completed in 1960. Donald served on the school board for 15 years and held the offices of Board Treasurer and Board President before retiring. Donald wrote a letter entitled, To the Parents of the Future, dated October 25, 1960, which was placed in the cornerstone of the high school. This letter was read at the 50th anniversary dedication of Iowa-Grant High School then placed back in the time capsule to be reopened at its Centennial celebration.
The farm was sold in the spring of 2006, when Donald and Evelyn moved to Aurora, Illinois, to live with their daughter, Betty and family.
Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Marie Novak; sister Irene and husband Levi Swett; brother Harvey and wife Grace (Alexander) Novak. Donald is survived by his wife Evelyn and three daughters, Bonnie (Richard) Ballantyne of Lamoni, Iowa; Betty (Mark) Engen of Aurora, Illinois; Cynthia Ann (Gregory) Smith of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grandchildren: Chadley (Laura) Ballantyne of Chicago, Illinois; Jennifer (Curtis) Bartles of Des Moines, Iowa; Nathanial Ballantyne of Kansas City, Missouri; Brittany (Jeffrey) Bensen of Dallas, Texas; Phillip Engen and Kimberly Engen of Aurora, Illinois. Step grandchildren: Brent Smith of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Bryan Smith of West Los Angeles, California; Heather (Matthew) Erb of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Great grandsons: Marcus and Joshua Bartles; Chance Smith; Jacob Erb. Nieces and nephews: Bruce (Amy) Das; Charles (Linda) Novak; Lynn Ann (Brent) Hulick; Kathy Novak Aldrich.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Monday Nov. 12, 2012 at the Montfort United Methodist Church in Montfort, WI. Burial with Military Honors will follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Montfort. Friends and family may call from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service at the Church on Monday morning. In lieu of plants and flowers, a memorial fund in loving memory of Donald E. Novak is being established.