Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Donald J. Tesdall, DVM, MD

Donald “DJ” Tesdall, 73, passed away Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at home, surrounded by family.

Don was born to Harvey O. and Evelyn (Oppedahl) Tesdall October 21, 1938, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was raised on a farm near Huxley, Iowa, helping his father farm his 80 acres. Don attended Huxley schools, was a member of 4-H, and graduated from Huxley High School in 1956.

One of Don’s proudest memories was when he exhibited the grand champion Hereford steer, weighing 1,050 lbs., at the Story County fair in the summer of 1956.

In the fall of 1956, Don enrolled at Iowa State College in pre-vet. In 1958, he was accepted into the college of Veterinary Medicine. He was awarded the Phi Zeta for being in the top 10% of the class and the Gamma Sigma Delta award, an agricultural honorary award. After his 1962 graduation, he applied to medical school at the University of Iowa.

Don was accepted into the University of Iowa Medical School in the fall of 1962 and lived at the Phi Rho Sigma fraternity. While at Iowa he was a Finkbine Scholar. Don graduated from medical school in 1966. Don did his Internship at Iowa Lutheran Hospital from 1966-1967.

In July of 1967, Don joined the general family practice of Dr. Burgeson, along with V.L. Schlaser and Dr. Earl Redfield. In 1974 he helped found the Iowa Lutheran Family Practice Residency Program.

Don joined the Iowa Army National Guard in January of 1967. He was assigned to the 168th company 34th division and medical platoon leader in Council Bluffs in January of 1967. In Don’s words, “I had the joy to drill at Council Bluffs and do 75 induction physicals, having never done one before.”

For more than two decades, Don served with many units, including the 204th, 34th, and 296th. He became State Surgeon in November of 1989, and was promoted to a Brigadier General upon his retirement in October of 1998.

Don continued to practice family medicine and teach in the Residency Program until his retirement in November of 2005. Don’s retirement was accelerated by the onset of electronic medical records.

For more than 30 years, Don served as the team physician for North and East High School football teams. He received a sports medicine award in 2001.

Don was an accomplished professional, yet still enjoyed many leisurely activities. He hunted and fished most of his life. This included multiple fishing trips to Canada, and a prized hunting trip to Alaska, where he shot a moose. He also enjoyed golfing, even achieving a hole in one at Toad Valley.

He helped create many happy memories with his family, sharing vacations to Gull Lake, MN, Lake Okoboji, and Lake of the Ozarks. Don also took a cruise to Alaska and a trip to Norway. He liked to have fun, enjoyed playing pool, and hosted several hog roasts. Watching anything sports or stock market related on television kept him entertained.

In 1964, Don married Mary Jane Geheber. Later that year, they had their first child, John. In March of 1967, their second child, Anne was born. In 1968, another son, Mark, was born. And three years later, daughter Liz was born.

Don is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary Jane; children, John (Kristin) Tesdall, Ankeny, Anne (Fred) Ingham, Lone Tree, CO, Mark (Lisa) Tesdall, Pleasant Hill, and Liz (Scott) Simpson, Geneva, IL; six grandsons, Nathan and Drake Tesdall, Freddie and Charlie Ingham, and Ted and Ethan Simpson; brother David (Verda) Tesdall, Huxley; and nieces Rajean (Steve) Birkestrand, and Slater, Aspen and Lakota Geheber, Leitchfield, KY.

He was preceded in death by his parents, niece Roxann Harmon, and great nephew Derek Harmon.

The family would like to thank Dr Stanton Danielson for his devoted friendship and care.

The family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at Oakwood United Methodist Church, 400 NE 56th Street in Pleasant Hill. Burial with full military honors will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions to the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, where a scholarship will be established in Don’s name.

We are compiling stories about DJ. If you have a story to share about DJ, please send it to:
drdrdj@mchsi.com

www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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