Darrell D. Skramstad
October 28, 2023
We lost our hero on Saturday, October 28, 2023. Darrell Dennis Skramstad died from complications of Alzheimer’s. He suffered with Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years and recognized his family until the very end. Darrell was born on February 14, 1944 in Devils Lake, ND. He attended Devils Lake Central, graduating in 1962.
Darrell met his wife Mary at the Teen Canteen in the early 60’s. After their first date, Darrell told Mary “I am going to marry you some day.” He did just that in 1966. Darrell attended the University of North Dakota on a 4-year hockey scholarship and graduated (1968) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. His passion for sales relocated his family to Boston MA, Sheboygan WI, Chicago IL, and eventually to Plymouth, MN where they lived for 32 years.
In 1997 he bought a Sandler Training Franchise teaching Business Leadership and Sales Management. His daughter, Cammy, worked with him for 14 years and was blessed to watch him train with compassion and a fierce belief that he could help people and improve their lives. Several of those years he lived up north and commuted to the Twin Cities during the week to train, living with Cammy and her family during the week. He retired in 2014 to their home on Lake Alexander where he followed his passion: spending quality time with Mary, putzing, and Walleye fishing!
Due to the progression of Darrell’s Alzheimer’s disease, they sold their home on the lake (2017) and moved to Watertown to be near family. In September 2022, he entered New Perspective Memory Care in Waconia, MN, where he recently passed after a fall fracturing his femur.
Darrell is survived by his wife Mary (Kostecki) Skramstad of Watertown, MN; daughter Cammy (Tony) Stucchi; son Jason (Lori) Skramstad; grandson Cayden Stucchi (19) and granddaughters Brynn Stucchi (15) and Rissi Skramstad (14).
Preceding Darrell in death are his parents, Melvin and Pearl (Johnson) Skramstad, his brother Orrin Dale (1945), his sister Ione (2019) and his brother Wayne (2023).
Darrell was a genuine gift to this world. He loved, laughed, worked, and played hard. He always chose family first. He loved coaching Jason’s youth hockey teams and enthusiastically followed his hockey path through the years. He delighted spending time on the water, fishing with his lake friends and his buddy Cayden. He found so much joy being with his grandchildren; he taught them to waterski, snowmobile, ice skate and if there was a project to get done, they would follow him around for hours. He loved cuddling in to say prayers and reading bedtime stories. Darrell also loved Tony and Lori as his own children, always offering to do anything for them. He spent hours with family and friends visiting and welcoming all by the fire, telling stories, listening to others, and just being Darrell. There was so much laughter and quality time as we would pause to listen to the Loons speaking to us at night.
We thank God for the spiritual man He put on this earth for us to love. We are grateful he is now Free and in Jesus’ loving arms.
A special thank you to the wonderful caregivers and staff at New Perspective Memory Care and Grace Hospice for making Darrell feel loved and safe under their care. Also, a special note of gratitude to so many friends and family members who called often, offering emotional support.
The visitation was on Friday, November 10, 2023, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown, MN visitation beginning at 10:00 am with the funeral Mass at 11:00 am, followed by a luncheon in the church basement. Live streaming and recording of the service is available on the Iten Funeral Home Youtube page, through the link provided below:
https://youtube.com/live/mJTFUVT4rYE
Interment will be at the Devils Lake, ND Cemetery, at a later date and time.
Memorials preferred to:
Cancer Society – https://www.cancer.org/donate.html
