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   Donald Eric Englin was born March 13, 1933 in Minneapolis to Eric Olaf and Alva Martha Ursula (Ericsson) Englin. Don was 92 years old when he passed away on August 4, 2025. He married Leutitia Ann (Hollen) Englin on August 2, 1955 and they had three sons, Jeffrey Eric (Patricia), Peter Donald (Rebecca), and Gregory Lynn (Christine). He had five grandchildren, Kelsey Rose and Matthew Donald (Pete and Becky), Eric Bryan (Jeff and Pat) and Spencer Gregory and Forrest Lynn (Greg and Chris) and two great grandchildren, Taylor Ann and Erik Robert (Kelsey and Josh Brown). He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Leutitia and his Grandson Matt.

   Don was the son of Swedish immigrants. The family moved to north Minneapolis after his father and mother immigrated from Canada to make a life in Minnesota. Don went to North Minneapolis High School where he lettered in swimming and tennis. Though an only child, he was drafted in 1954 to serve during the Korean War in the US Army. The Army deployed Don to Fort Monmouth, NJ where he served in missile defense. He finished his service as a corporal. It was during his service in the army that he met Leutitia, who was working in the secretarial pool for General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC). Every Saturday night the army hosted a big dance and buffet. It was at one of these dances that they met. Don heard her voice out on the dance floor, so he headed over to her and cut in. From then on they saw each other every weekend they could. They fell in love and decided to marry. Leutitia decided they would get married down in Baltimore, Maryland. Her brother, Augie and his wife served as best man and maid of honor.

   After Don was honorably discharged in 1956 and Leutitia gave birth to Jeff, they moved back to Minnesota. Don enrolled at Mankato State University using the GI bill and their second son, Pete, was born in Mankato. After graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a master’s in art history, Don took a job at Virginia High School teaching art. Greg, the youngest son, was born in 1962 during their time in Virginia, MN. He also started coaching and helped coach the Virginia High School football team. 

   The family then moved back to the Twin Cities, to Robbinsdale, where Don taught art at Cooper High School. He also coached swimming and diving. Leutitia took a job as a paralegal for the law firm, Johnson and Illstedt, in downtown Minneapolis. They then moved from Robbinsdale to Minnetonka in 1966 where they raised their sons. When the school district expanded and built Neil Armstrong High School, Don was asked if he would transfer to Armstrong to run the art department. He taught art to high schoolers until he retired in 1993. For years, he also coached swimming and diving at Armstrong and the program which produced some state champion athletes. Don was all about giving his students a chance in life and wanted them to develop as individuals. He taught various art disciplines including drawing, sculpture, ceramics and painting. He was a fierce advocate for his students within the school system. Years later many of them reached back out to him and thanked him for believing in them and giving them the support and encouragement they needed.

   Don was all about family. He loved the outdoors and hunted and fished and camped with the family. Don and Leu raised hunting dogs – mainly labrador retrievers and loved training them especially out at Reo Raj Kennels with Jim and Jane Kappes. They traveled to training grounds around the US and attended field trials and enjoyed getting out in the field. Our annual family get togethers consisted of duck hunting in North Dakota. He loved going up north to a place they owned on Little Rice Lake to fish for walleyes and northerns. We had a small trailer where we would cook and sleep. We then added a shed with two beds. Later, they built a Lindahl Cedar home up on the property to which they retired to and lived for over 30 years. We will miss him always.

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