Donn Hirrschoff

Donn Hirrschoff was born on March 4, 1951, and passed away on September 22, 2026 at the age of 75. He journeyed peacefully to his eternal home, lovingly attended to by his family after a courageous battle with cancer.

Donn was born in the small town of Orange, Massachusetts. At the age of two, his family moved to Pierre, South Dakota, where he grew up. He graduated from Pierre High School in 1969 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from SDSU.

In 1977, Donn was united in marriage to Sharon Farrell. They later made their home in Brookings, South Dakota, where they raised their family. Family was the joy of Donn’s life. He cherished every moment spent with family and loved selflessly and unconditionally.

Donn spent 25 years as a beloved UPS driver in Lake Preston. Everyone on his route was treated like an old friend, and every package was handled with care. After retirement, Donn loved to stay busy, working at Edgebrook Golf Course and Hy-Vee.

He never met a stranger and loved everyone he encountered. Donn will be remembered for his one-of-a-kind humor and unbreakable joy. Even through pain and loss of what he loved, he kept a smile on his face and never ran out of jokes.

To his loved ones, Donn was affectionately known as “Roon” or “Tuna.”

He’ll keep us all laughing in numerous ways, especially when we remember his “drain the pool” cannon balls and his affinity for wood paneled cars.

Donn was an avid sports fan and a dedicated supporter of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs. We’ll always feel his spirit at Lambeau and Wrigley. Even more special to him was faithfully attending soccer, baseball, and hockey games of his children and grandchildren. He was always willing to serve as a coach and spent many years refereeing hockey.

He was also a wonderful gardener who lovingly maintained a beautiful flower garden for his family to enjoy. He was an excellent griller and made an amazing cheesecake. Other favorite things include The Lord of the Rings and a good game of cribbage. He participated in multiple mentoring and pen pal programs for youth, always willing to invest his time and kindness in others.

Donn had an incredibly tenacious spirit, and almost nothing could keep him down. After undergoing a knee replacement, he raced through rehabilitation and was eager to get back to work. Partly because he couldn’t stand to be idle, and partly because he loved responding to every greeting of “You’re back!” by assuring them that his back was fine.

Donn loved nature and found God most powerfully in the wilderness. One of his favorite places to be and to serve God was Placerville Camp in the Black Hills.

Donn leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, faith, and devotion to family. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Sharon; his children, Jason (Celene) Hirrschoff, Rob Hirrschoff, and Amie (Luke) Sexton; his grandchildren, Sydney (Zach) Sell, Reese (Jacob) Schoon, Breck Hirrschoff, and Carmen Sexton; his great-grandchildren, Lane and Bohen Sell; and his brother, Jerry Hirrschoff. He is also survived by many wonderful nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Hirrschoff; his mother, Millie Hirrschoff; his brother, Tom Hirrschoff; and his sister-in-law, Liz Hirrschoff.

Donn will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

“Life is eternal, and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing but the limit of our sight". -Rossiter Worthington Raymond

A Celebration of Life will be held 7:00pm Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at Rude’s Funeral Home. Memorial Visitation will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm prior to the Celebration of Life. Rude’s Funeral Home will live-stream the Celebration of Life at www.rudesfuneralhome.com website, you may click on the link above Donn’s obituary. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.rudesfuneralhome.com