Obit: Tufts, Donald J. (1902 - 1957)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Tufts, Boyer

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 04/25/1957

Tufts, Donald J. (12 DEC 1902 - 16 APR 1957)

The remains of Donald James Tufts were returned here for services conducted Sunday afternoon, April 21, from the Methodist Church, Withee, at two o’clock.  The parish pastor, Rev. Cecil War, officiated at the service.  Burial was made at Riverside Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were Leon Bruchert, Emil Hansen, Harry Thorson, Wm. Veurink, George Funk and Bernard Auberg.

Donald James Tufts was born Nov. 12, 1902 in Withee (Clark Co., Wis.), the son of Daniel J. and Harriet Meek Tufts.  He graduated from the Wis. School for the Blind at Janesville, Wis. in 1924.  Shortly after graduation, he was married to Caroline Peasley and moved to the Twin Cities area, where he has resided ever since.  His wife died in 1935.  They operated a grocery store and he tuned pianos and did general repair business on pianos, organs and other musical instruments, first in St. Paul and for the past 21 years in Minneapolis.

In 1941 he married Lena Boyer of Detroit Lakes, Minn. And shortly after purchased the home at 4553 28^th Av South, where he resided until his death.  Mrs. Tufts passed away in 1951.  Mr. Tufts entered and graduated from the St. Paul Bible Institute early in 1951, after many years of active work among the missions in St. Paul and Minneapolis, where he combined his Christian work with his music, in which he took a lifelong interest.

He early took active part in the affairs of the blind in Minnesota, most of which was connected with the activities of the Minnesota Organization of the Blind, of which he was several times a director, served as Public Relations officer for several years, and spent many years as a member of the Legislative Committee of the organization, in which he worked for laws that would be of benefit to the blind.  He attended the National Convention of the Blind Organization, one in Chicago and again in Louisville, Kentucky.  In 1954 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Edna St. Germain, who survives him.

He is survived also by one brother, William B. Tufts of Tacoma, Wash., having been preceded in death by two sisters, Grace, who died in 1924 and Fern, who passed away in 1951.

After a short illness, Mr. Tufts suffered a heart attack which caused his death on April 16, 1957.  After the services in Minneapolis, additional services were held in Withee, his old home town, and burial made at the Riverside Cemetery.  He leaves a host of friends in the Twin Cities, espceically among the blind and friends of the blind, and will be sorely missed in the activities of the association and among those interested in blind advancement in the area.