Donald "Don" Hovland

Age 93 of Stillwater, MN

He was born on February 8, 1933 in Williston in the middle of a good old-fashioned North Dakota blizzard. He died peacefully on August 31, 2026, in Stillwater, MN.

When he was just 3 months old, his mother died of tuberculosis. With his father traveling throughout the country working on large projects such as the Fort Peck Dam, Don was raised by his grandparents and grew up on their farm in Mountrail County, ND. Living with seven uncles and an aunt, they became siblings to him. Being the youngest, his nickname on the farm was "Sonny" and he found himself doing the earliest chores of the day, often rising at 4:30 am to "milk the cows" and "feed the chickens." Don rode horseback across the prairie to a one room schoolhouse in Lunds Valley. He loved to recall his stories of bird hunting on horseback, speaking only Norwegian and having to learn English from his teacher and classmates.

Eventually his family moved off the farm and to a home in Stanley, ND. That is where he met Delores "Dee". Both shared a passion for music. She played trombone and he played trumpet and soon fell in love with one another. They were married on December 27, 1956 in Fargo, ND.

They went to NDSU, Don a year older than Dee, even waiting a year to start college so both could start the next chapter of their lives together. While there he became Cadet Battalion Commander in ROTC. From 1956-1959, Don served in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant, then moving into a role in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, based in Great Falls and in Minnesota into the 1970's.

In 1956, Don and Dee graduated with bachelor's degrees, with specialties in education. Determined to work in the same school system, both found teaching jobs in Great Falls, Montana.

They were now off on their next adventure and headed to Big Sky Country!

Dee taught high school music, Don started as an economics teacher at Great Falls High. Eventually at the young age of 29, Don was asked, well, told, that he would be moving into a school administrator position as vice principal at Great Falls High.

In 1962, Don and Dee welcomed their first-born child into the world, Elizabeth.

While starting a family, Don's education career progressed. In 1964, he helped open C.M. Russell High School as vice principal. Don helped choose the school colors, green and gold, more on that later.

In 1969, Don and Dee had their second child, Bradley.

While Don's career progressed, he always made time for his family and the great outdoors that Montana offered. Don became an avid fisherman and hunter. He was even clawed by a black bear while camping. He managed to bring that bear home and had a bear rug made of his assailant.

As his career progressed, Don was asked to open Great Falls North Junior High School in 1970 as principal.

More adventures were to come for Don, Dee, Liz and Brad, The Land of 10,000 Lakes came calling!

With an opening for a principal of Stillwater Junior High, Don's lifelong friend, confidant, and fellow educator, Ken Pedersen recruited Don for the job. Don accepted the offer and his family moved to Stillwater. The beautiful St. Croix River replaced the Rocky Mountains, and Don purchased a boat. His family enjoyed countless boat rides on the river.

In 1972, Don started his new job as principal of Stillwater Junior High School, a job he held until he retired in 1998. Don thought of his staff as family, even having an opening day frozen daiquiri party at his home every year. He also took deep pride in his staff for being named a National Blue Ribbon School two separate times. A rare accomplishment.

Ken and Don remained best friends throughout the rest of Don's life, still getting together for happy hours where they both lived at Boutwells Landing right up to the end of Don's life.

Don and Dee's love of travel cannot be understated. Whenever possible Liz and Brad were included on their many adventures, including a 20-day trip to Europe, visiting the Arctic Ocean in Alaska, trips to Hawaii, China, and Norway. In fact, Don visited all 50 states, and almost every Canadian Province. Later in life Don enjoyed traveling to Medora with his friend and companion Nancy Raymond.

His grandpa, T.S., was also a band conductor who played every instrument at an expert level and instilled in Don a lifelong love of music. Don even took his son Brad to a KISS concert in 1983 and said "that's the loudest thing I've ever heard", his ears ringing for days.

Don believed in empowering his students and teachers. Never forgetting their names, often seeing them around town and engaging in meaningful conversations with all of them.

After retiring from Stillwater Junior High, Don became an adjunct professor with the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas from 1998 - 2009. Throughout his career, Don was heavily involved in the MASSP and NASSP associations. Don was also named Minnesota's first Principal of the year 1984.

In 2003, Don became a grandpa "Boppa" to Olivia who he adored and was so proud of. He loved attending every one of her viola concerts in Stillwater and was so happy he could attend her graduation ceremony from St. Olaf College.

In the middle of raising a family, focusing on his career, Don never forgot his roots in Western North Dakota. Every October, without fail, Don and his close friends, Ken Pedersen, Paul Mattke, Bruce Klosowsky and Steve Studer made the 10-hour drive to the farm for their annual bird hunting trip. Brad often joined, and the group enjoyed annual sunset toasts to the good life on a hill overlooking the farm. With views spanning 20 miles around them as the sun set below the horizon, lifelong memories were made.

The story of Don's well lived life cannot be written without mentioning his passionate support for North Dakota State University and its football team, the Bison. In his later years, his entire wardrobe consisted of NDSU shirts, shorts, sweatpants, and jackets. He loved the Bison so much and it gave him tremendous joy to be a graduate of NDSU and super fan of the school and team.

A special acknowledgement to Don's daughter Liz, for her selfless caregiving and dedication to Don during the last years of his life, she gave her all to him. Taking Don to numerous doctor appointments, managing his day-to-day life and always making sure he was never alone. Liz always said, "I do this out of love, and I'm thankful to be in the position to be able to be there for him." They had movie nights, watched Dancing with the Stars, and Survivor together, played cards, and often, just being there, talking. One of our relatives said it best, "Liz is an angel on planet Earth." Thank you, Liz.

Thank you to the incredible friends and family who provided support for Don and all of us.

Thank you to Lakeview Hospice - a gold standard in hospice care - we know why.

A special thank you to the care team at Boutwells Landing and the Gables in Oak Park Heights. At every stage in his years at Boutwells people were kind, caring and supportive. We also couldn't have asked for more in his final months at Memory Care. Every person on staff knew him and cared about helping to make him comfortable and taken care of. You are also angels on earth.

Don is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Delores (Mithun); parents, David and Gudrun; and grandparents/parents, T.S. and Caroline. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth (David Lecander) Hovland and Bradley (Jennifer Hillstrom) Hovland; granddaughter, Olivia Hovland; and bonus grandsons, Karter and Karson Hillstrom.

Celebration of Life on Friday, October 9th, 11:00 am at Trinity Lutheran Church, 115 4th St N, Stillwater, with visitation beginning one hour prior. Light lunch to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to NDSU Development Foundation. Here is a direct link: Delores and Donald Hovalnd Scholarsip at NDSU Or you can send a check to the NDSU Development Foundation, PO Box 5144, Fargo, ND,58105. In the memo line on your check, write Delores(Mithun) & Donald Hovland Scholarship Endowment Fund.

This is a scholarship for music education students at NDSU in honor of Don and Dee.