June 4, 1956 – December 28, 2021

A memorial service for Donald Schoolmeester, 65, of Kingman, Ariz., will be held at Sutton Memorial Funeral Home in Kingman, Arizona on Friday, January 21, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.

Donald (Don) Jay Schoolmeester was born on June 4, 1956, in Pipestone, Minn. He was the second of four children born to Jerold and Sophie (Veldhuizen) Schoolmeester.

The family moved from a farm east of Edgerton into town when Don was six years old. Don attended Edgerton Public School where he played football and basketball. He graduated in 1975. He then attended Jackson Vocational-Technical College.

Don was baptized and made his profession of faith at the First Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota.

Don met the love of his life, Betty, in July of 1975. They were united in marriage on July 22, 1978, in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Pipestone.

Over the years, Don was a jack of all trades, and did everything from being a plumber, working in construction, and was even an EMT.

In August 1986, Don and his family moved from Pipestone to Kingman, Ariz., where he worked for Bayliner Boats. He then worked for Citizen’s Utilities for a little over ten years, before having a stroke in 2002 and becoming disabled. After becoming disabled, he spent his days lovingly caring for his grandkids when they were babies.

Don was a handyman around the house, always working on a project, whether it was remodeling a bathroom, laying tile in the kitchen, or building his kids a tree house.

He also enjoyed spending time in Meadview, Ariz., at his lake house, where he and his family would take their boat out and enjoy going out on Lake Mead. In more recent years, he and Betty could be found taking their camper out on the weekends in Williams, Ariz.

Don was an avid collector of model trains, cars, and other antiques.

On Tuesday, December 28, 2021, Don passed away at Kingman Regional Medical Center from viral pneumonia (a complication from contracting COVID-19). He was 65 years old.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Betty Schoolmeester of Kingman, Ariz.; his children, Heidi and her husband Chad Baitinger of Kingman, Nathan and his wife Errica Schoolmeester of Kingman; 6 grandchildren, Levi and Gracie Woods, and Cohen and Emilynn Baitinger of Kingman, Arizona, and Jesse and Holden Schoolmeester of Kingman, Arizona; his father and mother, Jerold and Sophie Schoolmeester of Edgerton, Minn.; his sister Deb and her husband Gerald Rieck of Edgerton, brother David and his wife Lisa Schoolmeester of Marshall, Minn., and sister Darla and her husband Jose Palacio of Phoenix, Ariz. He is also remembered by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Jack Swart, and his two nephews, Justin and Craig Swart.