Donald Dean Dalquest
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Funeral services for Donald Dean Dalquest, 76, Lawrence, will be held at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday February 18, 2020 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Burial will follow at Leavenworth National Cemetery.
Donald Dean Dalquest passed away Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family.
He was born on August 8, 1943 in Junction City, KS, to Emil Conrad and Mildred Imogene (Barnes) Dalquest. Graduated from Junction City high school in 1961 and entered the US Air Force serving until Oct 1965.
He worked for the Lawrence Police Department from Nov 1965 to Dec 1988. He then went on to serve as the Undersheriff for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Loren Anderson from Jan 1989 retiring in June 1995. After a brief stint in retirement he went to work for the Lawrence Municipal Court and retired for good in Aug 2016. During his time with the LPD he served in various offices of the local and state chapters of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Don married Jo Carey on March 5, 1966 in Novato, CA. She survives of the home. Also surviving are their two daughters, Erica Ganson (Eric) and Marcie Pell (John Opgaard). His twin brother Ronald Dalquest (Wendy), and older brother Conrad Dalquest (Teri). Grandchildren; Adam, Shawn (Anwyn), Emily Spurling, Liam & Michael Ganson, Nathan Pell, and Lily Opgaard. And MANY much-loved nieces and nephews.
He is predeceased by his parents, and son-in-law, Philip Pell.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in his name to the Douglas County VN Hospice or Lawrence American Legion Honor Guard and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
The family will greet friends Monday, February 17, 2020 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.
I love you Uncle Don & will miss you terribly. Thanks for ALL the wonderful memories! You touched the lives of SO many people & I am so very proud of all you accomplished. My favorite memories were our family gatherings, but I have very fond memories of helping you & Dad with the Hunter Safety Program. I will miss your silly jokes & tons of stories on our annual Memorial Day trip. Much love & respect, Your first niece Marla Dalquest xoxo
Your stories will live on! I’m smiling as I remember you sharing another adventure about your family and friends. You were such a great story teller and a great friend.
Don was a friend and a pseudo father figure, to me.
Don had a way to light up a room with his easy and approachable demeanor.
I will miss him.
Donna & Fairley McCain:
We had fun back in the Junction City days & you always were a part of class get togethers through the years, always with a good story. RIP
You were truly one of the funniest people I have ever known. I am very blessed and extremely proud to be your nephew. I love you Uncle Don.
I’m so glad i got to see you and have one more hug. I will miss your wonderful stories (although I’m sure Uncle Ron will keep those stories going) and the love you always showed towards us. I have always been so proud to be your niece. Rest peacefully Uncle.
Thoughts and prayers to family. Ron, Miss Ronda, and Miss Marla, sorry for your loss.
R.I.P Don it’s time to go make up more stories with Ron.
Thank you for the time we all got to know and spend time with you
I’ll always remember your kindness and integrity in the courtroom Especially on a very difficult day I had with the presiding judge. You served Lawrence well my Friend. I wish all law officials were like you Friend!!
Jo, my twin boys still sleep with the beautiful blankets you made them at birth. I will cherish the stories Don told me about his life as well as his smile and laugh. He often expressed his pride and admiration for you, Jo, and your children and grandchildren. He has a kind and generous soul and I miss him. I will remember Don and keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.
I am sending out my condolences to the dalquest family R.I.P. Don you were such a very wonderful guy I can remember all the times you made me laugh this is so sad seeing this I pray the good lord above rests his hands upon this family and let them get thru this time of sadness.god bless this family be with them thru this horrible situation. Have a very BLESSED DAY!!
Thank you Don for being my mentor who gave me guidance and personal time that was so needed. Thank you too for being my friend and supervisor. You set the standard for all of us who followed you into law enforcement at LKPD.
So sorry for your loss. Wish I could attend, but not able to at this time. He was a good friend as well, as Mason. Enjoyed being around him when we were together in Rainbows. So sorry .
HAROLD AND TONYA WOODWARD
TARA, TED AND KATELYN SMITH
So sorry for your loss but heaven has good a mother Angel.he made a mark on my life at the age of 16 and I never forgot it he was a good police officer kept alot out of trouble and I thank him for that velva unfred
Many condolences to the family. Don was a shining light of service and love to our community. Much respect and love follows you to the next step. Cammy Foster
Remembering good times in Rainbow. Sara has treasured memories of Don as her State Dad. I will always remember our fun times at Rainbow Camp and Grand Assemblies, too. Thinking of all of you. Hugs and rainbow love. Carolyn Roberson
I was at a group dinner last year and Don was pretty much the life of our table. Telling jokes and stories. He looked good and never complained about any of his health issues. May your stories live on in memory, RIP Don.
You were always a bright star on a cloudy day. The wisdom you and Ron shared with us young pups as we began our careers was always cherished, the stories you shared will always be repeated, and the respect you earned will always be admired. RIP sir…You left behind a wonderful legacy.
Jo, Erica and Marcie …
Dad and I were so very sad to hear about Don. We just want you to know how very saddened we are and that we are praying for the Lord to comfort you and guide you and you all through this difficult time. We loved having you as our neighbors all of those years – and I loved working at the LEC those 5 years back with Ron and Don were Detectives with LKPD. Oh, the war stories those guys can/could tell. Hilarious! Then to come home and watch him playing with the Boston Terrier…I remember Bootsy and he used to tell stories about the “Boots” and things the girls had done…always had the most humorous “twist”… Daddy and I love you all. God bless you and hold you close.
My deepest sympathy to the Dalquest family. Don will be greatly missed. People like him seem to be fewer and far between these days.
Sorry to hear of Don’s passing. He was a friend to many. I have lots of memories most of when we were instructors in the hunter safety program. He will be missed by all that knew him. Prayers of peace and comfort to the family as you endure this difficult journey.
To the entire Dalquest family, you all are in our thoughts and prayers. The Dalquest boys have been a main stay in the Lawrence/ Douglas county area as long as I can remember. Don was a good man. He taught many young people the great outdoors, and guided them safely thru hunter education. We have lost a icon. God bless you all.
He was my friend for life.
Loren C. Anderson
Don and i worked several cases together and always had a good time and cleared several of them. The one story I most remember about Don is that a friend could be in Los Vegas, Nevada and have a flat tire. If you didn’t want to change it you could call Ron or Don either one and they would say “ok I’m on the way.” Don was a good friend and I will miss him. Rest in peace Don you deserve eternal peace.
Jo and family
You are in our prayers and we will deeply miss Don.
Marianne and Margaret Middleton
Oh Don, the pranks you boys pulled on me thru the years when we lived on 10th st in JC. You all have meant so much to us thru the years. You have been such a treasured friend to so many. Rest In Peace. Jan Gooldy Kimbrell. (Jane, Jay, and Jack too)
Rest in Peace Don. Our prayers are with you and with your family.
Steve and Debbie Carey.
My late husband, Doug, shared the Municiple Court Security Officer position for many years with Don. I can’t count the times that Doug came home laughing and telling me a joke or story Don had told. I would say Don was one of a kind but the whole world was blessed by both Don and Ron. My condolenses to Jo and Don’s extended family.
As a member and past District CMDR of the American Legion, your presence will be missed. Thank You for your Service.
Another of earth’s treasures gone to sit at the side of the Almighty. Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, says there is a reason for everything:!a time to live, a time to die; a time to laugh, a time to weep.
It was an honor and pleasure to have known you, Sir.
Don, you were THE BEST storyteller of your time. We are so glad to have met and worked with you at the American Legion in Lawrence KS. You were so full of funny stories and laughter each and every day for everyone. We will very deeply miss you. May you RIP. Prayers for Jo and family at this very sad loss of a husband, brother, Uncle and friend to all. ????????????????????????????????????????????????
Don was a friend and mentor who I respected and loved very much. His rosy cheeks, smile, and infectious laugh always created a bright spot in my day. As I am sure many can say, his encouragement and positive attitude was a true blessing. I know he loved his family with all his heart, and beamed with pride when he spoke of you all. I am grateful God allowed my life path to intersect his and will be praying for all of you.
Don was very kind to me when I was a 22 year old kid with an “infatuation” with law enforcement in the late ’70’s. Seeing his picture brings back memories of years gone by.
I am so sorry for your loss. Many thoughts and prayers to your whole family.
There just aren’t words to express the love and respect I have for this great man. I looked up to Don for many years before I was lucky enough to work with him for 17 years in Municipal Court. His attitude towards his coworkers, defendants and citizens was nothing but kind and respectful. His stories kept us laughing. He loved his family and I felt like a part of it just by being with him. He was so smart and gave me so many wise words of advice when I would struggle in my role as a manager. My thoughts and prayers go out to Don’s wife, his twin, his family, his coworkers and the community he served. He will be greatly missed.
What such a nice guy he was! He always seem to have a smile, never will forget him. All the Dalquest family are in our thoughts and prayers at this sad time! He will always be watching over you!RIP Don
Martha & Jim Fowler
Don, you will always have a special place in our hearts. Meeting you at the AF Reunion was wonderful. You and Jo made our reunions so much fun with many good memories. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jo and your entire family whom I know you loved dearly. Until me meet again, Rest In Peace.
When my class graduated the police academy, both my parents wanted to come to the ceremony. For me, this was a nightmare. I was talking to Don about it and he said, “You know, this is not big deal. I’ll give your mom a tour and occupy her for a bit and you can talk to your dad. Then when he leaves, you can pick up with your mom.” And he did exactly that. My mom brought her friend and her friend’s little girl. I’ve never seen a kid with such big handfuls of candy! But it ended up okay, thanks to a really nice man. He was always helping people out like that.
Jo and Ron,
Very sorry to hear about Don. Memories abound, stories told when I started remembering Don. Working with and for him. Never a dull moment when he was around. Kindness to a young rookie way back when. Thanks for the memories Don. RIP my friend!
carried Don for bout 20 years det. div. always had to wait for hime till he finshed telling someone-anyone a story-most memorable whenhe got smashed in eye by concrete block gasliet taveren 1970 nick rice shooting
Don was a GREAT friend and human
My heart is hurting, he was a wonderful Man. Him and Ron have always had a special place in my heart. RIP Don, till we meet again.
Marvin Washington
My condolence to Jo and family during this difficult time. I first met Don while stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base in 1964. We were on the same Flight in the Air Police Squadron and worked together on occasion. Some forty plus years later he and Eric Dymond contacted me to invite me to a reunion of former members of the 78th Air Police Squadron. I wasn’t able to attend the first reunion but made it to the second. That reunion had me hooked as Don had us rolling in laughter reminiscing about the antics at Hamilton as well as his time in Law Enforcement. I had such
a great time I looked up two people I was stationed with in our Squadron at Siskiyou. Don made the reunions fun with his jokes and being the life of the party as well as his leadership. Don , you will be missed. Thank you for reaching out and allowing me to be a part of this.
It is so heartbreaking for me to hear of Don’s passing. My sincere condolences go out to Jo, Erica, Marcie, Ron, and his entire family. The Dalquist family was such a big part of my childhood life. I spent a lot of time at their house or with them, whether it was when I was “child-sitting” the girls in the summer, going to our neighborhood private pool, or our numerous events that we attended at the FOP lodge for all our police families, and hunter safety with Don and my dad. Don always made everyone around him laugh. He always had that welcoming smile, a great story or joke, and contagious laughter. Infact, I would say he got the last laugh with me…my last conversation with him, was at the FOP lodge and he was inquiring about my house we had just built. Asking if we had a basement. I told him “of course, it’s mostly for safety, incase of a tornado”. He told me I should have put in a storm shelter instead, because the basement would just become a “catch all”! Well, I can not go to my basement now Don, without thinking of you, as I walk through my “catch all” basement! You were so right!!! I sure will miss you. Rest easy. ♡
Dear Lord, wrap your arms around his wife, daughters, and additional family, and give them comfort during this sad moment in their lives, Amen. ♡
Don. It was a pleasure having you as a friend and a boss Douglas county will never forget you
Don, It was an honor and a privilege to know you. You were always so thoughtful and caring. You were a great neighbor and friend, and I miss you a lot. Thank you for being a great light in the world, and for being kind, generous, and compassionate.
Don was a very good friend and a hard worker. Don will always be in my heart and will be missed. Don was always willing to help.
Don will be missed. He was a good neighbor and friend. I’ll be praying for the family he left behind.
I am so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. Guess he will meet up with Lloyd and other friends for more good times and likely troublemaking. Warm consoling thoughts and prayers to the family.
Jo, Erica , Marcie, Ron and Family,
I shared with Erica the other night that my mind has been on (among other memories) the many times Don drove into my driveway to pick me up for school. He and Jo would drop Erica and me at Central before heading to the PD and Courthouse. Numerous early-morning drop-offs when Erica and I were in Excaliber Honor Choir. Sometimes we were running a wee bit late maybe because the redhead couldn’t get out of bed. ????. I was always happy to see Don rolling in with the big Suburban – ready to go!
Both Don and Jo tolerated us when we came to hang out (under the radar, of course) at the PD or courthouse after school so we could get a lift home.
My second parents and sisters …in whose home I was included in countless family meals and where memories were made that will stay with me forever.
Godspeed, Donald Dean Dalquest.
Love and peace to the family.
Dear Jo and family,
Ross and I send our sympathy to you all. So sorry to read of Don’s passing. We send you lots of hugs and our love. Praying the peace of our Lord will surround you every day.
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Ron
we are so sorry to hear of Don’s passing we always looked forward to you both coming to our yard sales trying to decide which one was better looking making us laugh we enjoyed listening to you both sending our prayers to you and the family
Don demonstrated to us what it means to love your Family, Country, and Fellow Man. He was a great mentor and teacher. My prayers are with you Ron. Take care.
I stood watching as the little ship sailed out to sea. The setting sun tinted his white sails with a golden light, and as he disappeared from sight a voice at my side whispered, “He is gone.”
On the farther shore a little band of friends had gathered to watch and wait in happy expectation. Suddenly they caught sight of the tiny sail and, at the very moment when my companion had whispered, “He is gone,” a glad shout went up in joyous welcome, “Here he comes!”
This poem has always brought me solace during times of great loss –
Don and I worked together in Municipal Court – he was an amazing soul with a mischievous grin and I’ll miss him greatly.
Jo, Erica, Marcie and family,
So sorry to read of the loss of your husband, father and grandfather. Hold the many memories close to your heart. May God give you peace and comfort in the days ahead.
Ron & the whole family,
I’m asking the Lord to give you strength to get through this very hard time.
God bless you,
Gary Thomas
Very few people are ones whom you will always remember for their sharing of wisdom and guidance – in such meaningful, humorous, and memorable ways. As a young policeman, Don was such a man to me. He made positive impressions on so many of us who wear the badge. Thank you, Don, and to your family for all your contributions and sacrifices.
I have always admired the respect and compassion shown by Don to everyone he meet. I also enjoyed his humor, selflessness and his stories. May your family find comfort and peace in your memories of him.
Jo, my sincere and heartfelt sorrow for you and your family. You and Don were forever thinking of others. I truly hope and pray that ALL the love and care that you gave will be of comfort to you at this difficult time. God Bless You, Nancy
Jo and family: I’m so glad my mom married into the Dalquest family, which offered her such a warm welcome. I also have great memories of Don, his smile and his great stories, some of which may have been true! I know this is a difficult time and I wanted you to know I was thinking about you.