Donald "Don" Sinness

Donald (Don) Sinness passed away on February 2, 2018. Services will be held at 11:00 am Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3rd St. and Ave A., Bismarck, with Rev. Paul Schick officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Tuesday, February 6, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck. Don was born on a farm in Divide County, between Zahl and Grenora, ND, on October 1, 1932, to Ole and Ella (Brakken) Sinness. He was the last of their 10 children to pass away. He went to Country School through the 2nd Grade. His family moved to Williston in 1940 where he received his education, graduating in 1950. Don later started his career with Montana Dakota Utilities in 1953. Don married Doris Iverson in 1953. Don worked at the MDU power plant in Williston before transferring to Bismarck 1961 as a System Operator in the Dispatch Office. Don was proud of saying he worked for MDU for 41 years, 2 months & 10 days...working 41 years of shift work. He enjoyed water skiing and was one of the few people who water skied all year-round in North Dakota (with no wet suit). Don also enjoyed driving cars and going on vacations. In 1973 Don married Hazel Bracht and enjoyed an extended family. Don retired from MDU in September of 1994 and he and Hazel enjoyed a lot of traveling. They went to Mesa, Arizona for the winter for 5 years. Don enjoyed his part-time job of driving cars for dealers and going to work for Enterprise part-time in 1994. He always enjoyed driving and visiting with others. Don was a member of the Eagles and Elks Club and he loved having birthday parties. Don is survived by his wife, Hazel; his daughter, Debra (Annie Smith) Drummond, Brighton, MI, and granddaughter, Jessica; son, David, San Antonio, TX, and granddaughter, Sara and grandson, David; daughter, Karen (Arlyn) Ohlhauser, Bismarck; daughter, Arlys Bracht, Bismarck, and granddaughter, Abby Joy (Noah DuBord); son Curt Bracht, Bismarck; and a host of friends. Don was preceded in death by his daughter, Patsy; son, Gary Bracht; his father; his mother; five sisters; and four brothers. Don was a person who loved life and liked to make people laugh. May his Soul Rest in Peace. Signed, Don D. Sinness P.S. If you want to put in that he loved to gamble at Prairie Knights you can, also he loved to dance in his younger days.Note: Our father handwrote his own obituary in 2008 and crossed out the P.S. We are including it because it reflects the rare gem he was, and he will be missed by all. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice in Don’s name.