Darwin “Doc” Babst
May 7, 1923 — December 22, 2018
Darwin “Doc” A. Babst, a very kind man, age 95.5, died Saturday, December 22, 2018, at the Minnesota Veterans Home Fergus Falls.
Darwin Alden Babst, a lifelong resident of Minnesota, was born May 7, 1923 near Rosholt, SD to Alex F. and Josie (Alsaker) Babst. He was baptized in Rosholt and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Fairmount, ND. He attended elementary school in Traverse County north of Wheaton, and high school in Fairmount, ND graduating in 1941. It was in high school that he was given his nickname for portraying a doctor in three high school plays. He attended North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton from 1941-42 where he received a degree in Business Administration.
He served as a combat infantryman with the 83rd Infantry Division in WWII, joining as a replacement in the Battle of the Bulge (1944). Combat duty earned him an extra $5 per month above scale. He served in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central European Campaigns, and was a recipient of The Purple Heart. Combat on the Western Front ended on his birthday in 1945. On May 8th he guarded a temporary bridge across the Elbe River as American and British generals crossed it to join the Russians for their formal acceptance of Germany’s surrender. He stood alone atop a tank to salute General Dwight Eisenhower, Commander-in-Chief Europe, and was saluted by him in return. In March of 1946, after serving in the Allied Forces’ occupation of Bavaria, Germany, and Austria, then working as a clerk processing Court Marshalls for the Army, he returned home to farm with his dad.
In 1948 he moved to Fergus Falls where he worked in the office at Minnesota Motor Company. He went on to manage their tire business which he then purchased in 1961. he owned and operated “Doc’s Tire Service” for eleven years before closing shop to work for Goodyear. A year later he went to work managing Montgomery Ward’s Auto Center for five years. In 1977 he returned to Minnesota Motor Company where he managed the Service Department for 16 years. He retired in1993, but continued to work part time for nine years driving the Minnesota Motors courtesy van.
He married Margaret D. Anderson of Fergus Falls on February 18, 1949. They eloped to Minneapolis on the second anniversary of having met one another. They settled in Fergus Falls, and after 15 years of marriage gave birth to their only child.
He and his wife were members of the Trinity Lutheran Church before joining First Lutheran Church in 1968. He served as First Lutheran’s Transportation Coordinator for many years after his retirement. He joined the VFW in 1949, The Elks Club in 1967, and was also a member of The Fergus Falls Fish and Game Club and Ducks Unlimited. Together with Oki Weilander and Charles Becken he was a founding member of the Archery Club in Fergus Falls.
Doc was an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed many Canadian fishing trips with friends and also enjoyed fishing area lakes in MN. He enjoyed hunting deer and ducks with family and friends. He also enjoyed vegetable gardening and traveling.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife who passed in 1991; his nephew, Jeff Dunbar; and nieces, Carol Dunbar and Sandra Koppe Smith.
He is survived by two sisters; Darlene (Dunbar) Bianchi of North Highlands, CA and Doreen Brewer of Portland, OR; one sister-in-law, Ida Anderson of Karlstad, MN; his daughter Jennifer Babst and her husband Dwight Clark of Gold Canyon, AZ along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The Memorial Service has been chosen for May 7, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church of Fergus Falls, so as to not conflict with the fishing opener ��. The Reverend Gretchen Enoch will officiate and the burial will follow at the Oak Grove Cemetery, of Fergus Falls. The Fergus Falls VFW post 612 and the American Legion Post 30 will graciously provide military honors for the committal service.
