Donald Lavern Olauson was born March 5, 1938, at Graceville, Minnesota, to Anton and Anna (Nickelson) Olauson. He died Friday, December 13, 2002, at his residence in Volga, South Dakota. Donald grew up in rural Roberts County, South Dakota and attended school in Sisseton, South Dakota. At the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid as a firemans apprentice. During his time in the Navy, he traveled to many countries in Europe and the Caribbean. After his discharge, Donald settled in Seattle, Washington near family and was employed as a steel worker. On August 30, 1960, he married his high school sweetheart, Lyla J. Horton. Donald received his Bachelors Degree in Social Welfare from the University of Washington, and moved with his wife and two sons to the Brookings, South Dakota area in August of 1974. He was employed with the South Dakota Department of Social Services in the Brookings office, initially as a child protection worker, and eventually became the office supervisor. Donald received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota, and was employed by the Human Services Agency in Watertown, South Dakota. In 1993, he was employed at East Central Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Agency until he retired in October of 2001 due to illness. Donald was a member of Lake Campbell Lutheran Church where he served in numerous capacities. Survivors include his wife, Lyla, of Volga; two sons: Erik (Sheila) Olauson, of Hillsdale, Michigan and Aaron Olauson, of Brookings; two grandchildren: Zachary and Elizabeth; two sisters: Evelyn Schmaus, of Seattle, Washington and Helen Gahlhoff, of Yakima, Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and five brothers: Nels, Marvin, John, Arnold, and Oliver.