Donald R. Walling, 71, of 1489 Miller Road, passed away at 10:32 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, Minn., of natural causes.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday.
He was born on Feb. 9, 1938, in Granger, Iowa, son of Walter Dee and Janet Bernard (Horne) Walling. He graduated from school in Madrid, Iowa, and the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.
Don served with the Iowa Air National Guard from 1959 to 1960.
He married Bonnie R. Dobbins on Feb. 15, 1959, in Des Moines.
Don worked as a biller for Stomac Motor Freight. He then went to work at H & W Motor Express as a rate clerk. In 1960, he became terminal manager in Davenport. In 1973, he was promoted to Dubuque as vice president of labor and operations. After 35 years, he moved to Standard Forwarding as vice president of human
resources and labor. He retired in 2003. In 2005, he began as a tour bus driver for Bradley Jo Charters.
His lifelong entrepreneurial spirit drove him into various ventures, including Shavers Plus and the Locksmith Express and Walling Properties. Don was very involved in labor and union relations relating to the transportation industry, having served as employer chairman for the Iowa Joint State Grievance Committee for nearly 25 years, on the board of directors of NATERA, the board of directors for Regional Carrier Incorporated Group, several national committees for the National Master Freight Agreement and helping to champion the use of precedents in the grievance decision process.
Don and Bonnie spent the past few years traveling the United States, Europe, Mexico and Canada.
Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Bonnie Walling, of Dubuque; five sons, Don Walling Jr., of San Francisco, Daniel (Donna) Walling, of Dubuque, David (Leonard McDonald) Walling, of Houston, Dennis (Sue) Walling, of Lafayette, Ind., and Dustin (Sushma) Walling, of Seattle; seven grandchildren, Danielle (Aaron) Boosinger, Nicholas, Kate, Emily, Austin, Vicky and Jackie Walling; a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Walling, of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Marion; and two brothers, Derald and Dennis.
In lieu of flowers, a Donald R. Walling Memorial Fund has been established.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com.
The family would like to thank Bradley Jo Charters, the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester and Northfield Hospital and the students and families of the University of Dubuque women's volleyball team who helped care for Don in his time of need.
