Something needed doing? Donny D was there

If something needed doing in his community, many called on Donald (Donny D) Des Lauriers to do it.

The lifelong resident of the Hamel area of Medina built homes, fought fires, helped lead the City Council and made sure the Hamel Rodeo was an award-winning gathering.

Des Lauriers, 70, died Monday in Robbinsdale of cancer.

"He's irreplaceable," said Julius Dorweiler of Medina, a former member of the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department, which serves Medina and Corcoran. "There isn't a community project that he wasn't involved in. He made sure it got done, and it got done right."

Des Lauriers served on the fire department for 52 years, including stints as chief and assistant chief.

He was instrumental in designing and building the current fire house, as well as the reconstruction of the historic Wolsfeld log cabin on Medina's City Hall grounds.

After graduation from Wayzata High School, he began working in construction, later forming his own firm, Des Lauriers and Sons. He built custom homes and he remodeled mansions.

"If there was a project that seemed impossible, that's the guy you called," Dorweiler said.

Des Lauriers' son, Dino of Medina, is a retired member of the fire department.

"There was never a job too big or too small. He'd be emptying the garbage cans" and also leading the effort to buy new trucks and find department recruits, said his son.

When called upon by seniors to put handrails and supports in their homes, he did it free of charge, said his son.

He served on the Medina City Council from 1970-76.

For 27 years, Des Lauriers never missed a performance of the Hamel Rodeo. He and another person were responsible for manicuring the arena dirt, said Julius Dorweiler's brother, Shorty, CEO of Farmers State Bank of Hamel and operations manager for the rodeo.

"He was very proud of the rodeo," Shorty Dorweiler said. "Hamel has had a lot of good leaders, but this is the biggest loss this town has ever had."

Des Lauriers was a charter member of the Hamel Lions Club and active for more than 50 years in the Lions and the Northwest Suburban Chamber of Commerce. He won the chamber's Donna Roelhl Commitment to Community Award in 1996, and also won several other awards from his community over the years.

He was a member of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Emergency Squad, responding to calls for 15 years.

He retired from the fire department only months ago.

Des Lauriers was a regular at the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota, traveling there with family and friends.

"Dad loved his Harley and he loved to ride," said his daughter, Kim of Big Lake.

In addition to Dino and Kim, he is survived by his wife of 46 years, Dolly of Medina; sons, Bill of Medina, and Dan of Corcoran; brother, Richard of Plymouth; sister, Patricia Gleason of Corcoran, and seven grandchildren.

A fire department procession will begin at 10:15 a.m. today at the Gearty- Delmore Plymouth Chapel, 37th Av. N. and Vicksburg Lane, Plymouth, and will proceed to the Church of St. Anne, 200 Hamel Road, Medina, where a funeral mass will be said at 11 a.m.