Obituary of Donald Eugene Honkomp

Donald Eugene Honkomp, 80, of St. Cloud Minnesota peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his loving family. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on January 7, 2025 at 11am at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Visitation will be one hour before Mass. The Reverend Derek Wiechmann will be officiating. Burial will be at St. Marcus Cemetery in Clear Lake, MN.

Don was born on May 30, 1944 in Graceville, MN to Elmer and Julia (McBrady) Honkomp. He graduated from Beardsley High School and St. Cloud State University. Don met his wife Johanna Goenner while stationed with the U.S. Air Force in Germany. They were married on Sept. 2, 1967 at St. Marcus Catholic Church in Clear Lake, MN.  Don was employed by Woolworths from 1970 to 1982, owned his own business in Starbuck MN, and in 1993 moved to St. Cloud and worked at St. Cloud Paint and Hirshfield Paint Store.

Don took to heart the Yeats quote, “There are no strangers here; only friends you have not met yet.”  He was known to spend hours talking at the supermarket or walking miles in a plowed field to say hello to a farmer. It did not matter if you were traveling in the Northwest Territories, Nevada, or Minnesota, someone he knew would suddenly emerge and say, “Hi Don”.

Don enjoyed supporting his grandchildren’s activities, fishing, camping, and hiking. He believed exploring nature was an opportunity to be shared with loved ones. Proud accomplishments included hiking all seventy-one MN State Parks and completing the Tahoe Rim Trail.  He was a beloved spouse, father, grandfather, and friend who had no enemies save the squirrels affected by his “Protect the Birdseed Relocation Project”.

Don was loved and will be missed by: his wife Johanna of St. Cloud; children Laura (Randy) Montag of Bowlus, Denise Honkomp of St. Cloud, Douglas (Carissa) Honkomp of Arkansas City, KS, Brian (Angie) Honkomp of Waconia; his five grandchildren Josh, Isabelle, Preston, Kyle, Ella Honkomp; brothers and sisters Tom (Bonnie) of Alexandria MN, Eileen Hughson of Scottsdale, AZ, Ken (Beth) of St. Cloud, Julie (Tom) McCall of St. Cloud; sister-in-law Carole Honkomp of Carson City, NV, brother-in-law John Fredell of Minneapolis, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Julia Honkomp, brother Kevin Honkomp, sister Jan Fredell, brother-in-law Jeff Hughson.