Donald Drum

Donald Roy Drum was born on September 13, 1922 in Alexandria, MN to Everett and Hattie (Kingston) Drum. He attended school through the 8th grade in Alexandria. He enlisted in U.S. Army and was assigned as a machine gunner. Donald became a POW toward the end of WWII in 1944 on the banks of the Rhine River in Germany. He was a prisoner for about 6 months. His brother, Sam was also in the military and was with the units trying to find Donald. The Russian military found him and helped free him.
On August 5, 1945, Donald was united in marriage to Bertha Johnson at the United Methodist Church. Following their marriage they made their home in Alexandria where they owned and operated Club 29. In 1959, they moved to the Minneapolis area where Donald worked as a refrigeration mechanic at Thermo King for 30 plus years. The couple returned to their cabin on Lake Le Homme Dieu during the summer months. Donald enjoyed going for boat rides and several trips to Arizona, where they spent the winters in their fifth wheel trailer. When his wife, Bertha’s health began to fail, Donald rose to the occasion, taking care of her and the house for 10 years to keep her out of the nursing home. Bertha died January 20, 2002.
Donald died on Friday, June 30, 2017 at Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, MN at the age of 94. He is survived by his sons, Jerry (Peggy) Drum of Anoka, MN, Maynard (Cherri) Drum of Andover, MN, and Duane (Shelley) of Alexandria; grandchildren, Jamie, Justin, Jason (Erica), John, and Kody Drum; step grandchildren, Desi Fredrick, Mickey Mudgett, Wayne Mudgett and Kayla Thielmann; great-grandchildren, Drew, Devin, Jackson, Reagan, Audrey, and Catherine; sister, Grace (Jr) Hohnholt of Denver, CO; and many nieces and nephews. Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Everett and Hattie; wife, Bertha; brothers, Harold, Walter, and Sam; and sisters, Dorothy Iverson, and Irene Lingren.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday. Interment will be at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria. Military Honors are provided by Alexandria American Legion Post 87, VFW Post 936, VVA Chapter 235 Rifle Squad and the Minnesota National Honor Guard.