Donald Eugene "Don" Menzter, age 83, died on January 15, 2020 at Great Plains Health in North Platte, Nebraska. He was born on June 25, 1936 in Arcadia, Nebraska to Clyde and Irene (Hunt) Mentzer.
Don went to country schools in Custer County, Nebraska up until his family moved to Broken Bow, Nebraska where he attended his freshman year of high school, and then moved to Maxwell, Nebraska during the middle of his sophomore year. He graduated high school in 1953.
Don married Donna Hall on August 14, 1955 in North Platte, Nebraska. They had two children, Doug and Cindy. They moved to North Platte in 1959, where he drove a truck delivering fuel for York Hinman. Don operated three convenience stores for Detlefsen Oil Company in North Platte.
Don leased the Mobil gas station in 1967 on the interstate. In 1984, he bought the Amoco jobbership from Senator Jim Pappas and started Mentzer Oil Company, delivering fuel to farmers and operating convenience stores, which he ran until his retirement in 2010. After retirement, Don and Donna enjoyed traveling together and attending bluegrass festivals. He was a member of the Nebraska Petroleum Marketers Association for several years and served as president for two years.
He thoroughly loved bluegrass music and promoted a bluegrass festival in North Platte in and Lincoln, Nebraska for several years. He sponsored local stock car racing and held season Husker football tickets for many years. He loved spending time with his family and watching his kids and grandkids play sports, and he especially enjoyed coaching his son's H Street Market team from 1963-1968 when they sent 54-4-1. Don was a cub master for the Boy Scouts as well.
Survivors include his wife, Donna; son, Dough (Denise) Mentzer and daughter, Cindy (Dan) Halligan all of North Platte; grandchildren, Stephanie (Aric) Riggins of McCook, Nebraska, Amanda (Jeremy) Hankla, Brett (Kit) Mentzer, Craig (Erin) Freeburg, Travis Halligan all of North Platte; Sarah (Chris) Wright of Yuma, Arizona, and Monica Halligan of Los Angeles, California; great-grandchildren coleman, Riley, Kaden, mason, Ben, Millie, parker, Piper, Violet, and Hannah; sisters Lorene Reutzel of North Platte and Donna (Jim) Clark of New Jersey; and his beloved dog, Banjo.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Delbert (Patty) Mentzer and Norman (Sharon) Mentzer; and a brother-in-law, Neil Reutzel.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association or to the First Baptist Church. Online condolences may be left at carpentermemorial.com.
Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2020 with the family receiving friends from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 202 at the First Baptist Church, 100 McDonald Rd, North Platte, with Pastor Clint Walker presiding. Burial will be in the Plainview Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska. Carpenter Memorial Chapel, 1616 West B Street in North Platte, is in charge of arrangements.