Donald McNeece

To watch a recording of the service, please use the link: https://youtu.be/nkiXnAWWrS0 

Donald “Don” McNeece, 79, Grand Forks, died Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at his home under care of his wife
and Ethos Hospice Care.Donald Wayne McNeece, the son of Russell and Jessie (Clark) McNeece was born in Riverside, California
on October 13, 1942.

Don graduated from Poly High School, Riverside, CA in 1960 and then received an AA Degree in
Architecture in 1963 from Riverside City College. He served in the US Air Force from March 19, 1964
until March 18, 1968 primarily at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He then worked as a Distribution
Supervisor for the Daily Enterprise newspaper in Riverside, CA. There he became acquainted with dog
sled racing through a co-worker.

He moved to the Bemidji, MN area in 1979 to actively pursue his dog sled hobby. At one time he owned
and trained 20 sled dogs. He was employed by the Bemidji School District as a custodian and
maintenance worker. His other hobbies and interests included running marathons, bowling, week-long
bicycle trips and most recently, pickleball. He served on the Board of the Grand Forks Pickleball Club.
Don married Joyce Fallon in 1973. They divorced in 1993. He later married Maxine (Kayala) Norman in
2013. They lived in Menahga, MN until 2018 when they moved to Grand Forks to be near family.
He is survived by his wife; step-children, Nathan (Cassandra) Norman (Virginia Beach, VA), Lori (Jason)
Heydt (Grand Forks, ND), and Melissa (Robert) Johnson (St. Paul, MN); a sister, Norma Miller and
brother-in-law, Ed Conery (Riverside, CA); former step-children, Sandy (Bob) Keys (Hickory, NC), and
Bruce Fallon; 4 step-grandchildren, 3 former step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was
preceded in death by his parents and an older sister, Melba Conery.

Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 8, 2022 in Hope Evangelical Covenant Church in
Grand Forks. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service in the church. A light lunch will follow the
service. Inurnment will be at a later date in Fargo National Veterans Cemetery. 

The family prefers memorials be given to HOPE Community Care Center & Food Pantry where Don
served as a volunteer.