Happy moves on

Happy has left us.

"Happy" is the nick name for Donald Beyl, a member of the Brooten Class of 1942. Beyl passed away on Saturday. He was a three-sport Buccaneer athlete in his tenure at BHS in football, basketball and track.

"Happy" was featured in a Seniors View article in the Bonanza Valley Voice on June 24, 2015. It was written by Leandra Dalen, daughter of Pastor John Dalen and Lynne Dalen. Lynne Dalen is the head girls' golf coach at B-B-E.

From the article:

After growing up in Brooten, Beyl served in the navy in World War II on the ship U.S.S Brown. During his three years, seven months and eight days (Beyl recalls this number to a tee) in the service he traveled to a myriad of islands including the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Marcus Island, Guam, Manila, and the Philippines. After his military service, he worked countless part-time jobs in places like packing plants, mowing lawns, and worked with the post office for around 30 years. Beyl’s wife of 58 years, Jessie, grew up near Long Prairie. They raised two boys, James and Donald Charles, who live in Florida and Minnesota, respectively.

Donald Beyl funeral information:
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 3, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooten with Pastor Stephen Bovendam officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Camp Ripley, Minnesota. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten. 

Rest in peace, Donnie! He is now reunited with his wife Jessie, who passed away in October 2007.

• On another note, good luck on Thursday to the B-B-E Jaguars girls' basketball team. They take on Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity in their first game of the Goodhue tournament at 5 p.m. LP/HT is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association Conference.
• Also, a head's up on a couple upcoming New Year's Eve events, I don't have all the details in front of me...but Brink's Club 104 in Sunburg and the Belgrade V.F.W. are both having music entertainment on New Year's Eve next Monday night. I'll post more later.