Obituary of Douglas Arnold Felton

After working at least two jobs his entire life, Doug finally took a rest on January 3rd when he went to start his farm in Heaven.

 

The eldest child of three, Douglas Arnold Felton was born on October 29, 1946, to Arnold Vernon Felton and Mervyne Ruth (Bonhus) Felton at Northfield Hospital. At Randolph high school, Doug played first chair clarinet and was a forward on the basketball team. Nicknamed “Ka-boom,” Doug fondly recalled the T-bone steaks his mother would make him before every game. In his spare time, Doug also enjoyed racing his 1957 Chevrolet on Highway 56, throwing out third gear and having his car on the hoists almost as much as he was driving it. Rumor has it they got so good at fixing the transmission they could have the whole thing in and out in under 45 minutes. Doug supported this car-habit by working for his Uncle Davy at Dave’s Conoco, which became Ray’s (and Faye Chester) Station, now Woody’s Pump ‘n Munch.

 

Doug graduated from Randolph High School in 1964 and attended Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis where he graduated from their Civil Engineering program in 1966. In 1967, he enlisted in the 682nd Engineering Battalion Minnesota Army National Guard where he served for fourteen years, becoming a Sergeant First Class (E-7). Doug married Carol Dodus and they had three beautiful children: Christopher Douglas (September 20th, 1968), Chadwick Arnold (March 18th, 1971), and Cassondra Ruth (February 1st, 1978).

 

Doug joined the Randolph Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department June 12th, 1969 and served as secretary of the organization from 1971 to 1977. When the department finally acquired their very first fire engine, Doug insisted they have their very own 4th of July parade to commemorate the achievement. After 23 years of active service, he continued to perform the duty of “MasterBaster” at the annual firemen’s chicken BBQ for another ten years.

 

His true passion, however, was working on his Dad’s 300-acre grain and livestock farm. Doug was immensely proud that his parents were the first family in Dakota County to install a center-pivot irrigator. Throughout his life, Doug would remain an early adopter of any and all agricultural best management practices and new technologies.  He was absolutely thrilled in recent years when his AgSense management app allowed him to control his irrigators from anywhere via his iPhone.[MDJF1]  While working for the county and raising hogs, he purchased his first 40-acres in 1976 and expanded the operation through the primary crops of hybrid seed corn and seed soybeans; vegetable canning crops; and food-grade soybeans as well as custom work as far as the Iowa border. In 1984, he began a custom seed corn harvesting business with neighbor and close friend, Tom Otte, forming D&T Enterprise of Minnesota. Doug and Tom farm over 500 acres together. In 1994, Doug became a founding shareholder in Al-Corn Clean Fuel, one of the first ethanol co-ops in the state of Minnesota, to help support stable corn prices. In partnership with neighbors Orin Legare, Jerry Otte, and Dewey Prinzing, as well as Progressive Rail, Doug worked to form the Great Western Industrial Park in 2005. As if he didn’t already have enough on his plate, Doug also owned around 60 angus cattle to ensure we used every inch of marginal farmland.

 

After receiving his first loan in 1966 to convert two old corn cribs into a hog house of his own design, Doug went on to take an active role in the Farm Credit System, beginning with serving on the advisory board of the River Falls Production Credit Association (PCA) in the late 70s. He was elected to the Federal Land Bank Board of Northfield in 1983 – the middle of the farm crisis - and continued serving through mergers that eventually lead to the creation of AgStar (now Compeer) through 2007. Doug concurrently served on the AgriBank board from 1996 to 2016. Simultaneously, he was named to the Farm Credit Council (FCC) from 2005-2016 and then served on the Farmer Mac board from 2016-2018. Doug was known as an effective communicator and bold chairmen during challenging times, and “the quintessential champion for farmer co-ops” while serving in these roles.

 

In 1992, Doug publicly called out Green Giant’s “new talent” at the annual Dakota County Irrigators’ Meeting, asking whether she “knew of a farm girl that was looking for a farm boy.” He later discovered that Nora Bryson was his new field representative and held out on signing his pea and sweet corn contracts for five lunches. After a first date of chores and farrowing a litter of pigs – a perfect first date for Nora – he deemed her a keeper. The two were married on August 5th, 1995 and gave birth to two debatably useful farmhands: Miranda and Bryson. Doug was a self-described “recycled daddy” and very proud of accomplishing this feat in his mid-50s.

 

Doug was an ornery, generous, passionate, forward-thinking, sentimental man who was a mentor and teacher to many. He loved his home community of Randolph deeply and did his best to see the town grow and prosper. Doug appreciated sunrises and saw God in the nature all around him, knowing there was a season for everything. Dad captured these moments through his photography. He was astoundingly well traveled for a “poor dirt farmer from Minnesota.” Ultimately, Doug traveled across America for Farm Credit meetings, to China as an agricultural ambassador with his “wife” Bill Kiehne in 2000 and was even hoodwinked into traveling to Oman by his youngest daughter in 2017. Lastly, he loved the 2.5 cats that he didn’t want (“we will not be a three-cat household, but Jasmin is too small to count as a full cat anyway”).

 

Doug preceded in death by his mother Meryvne Felton, Uncle Harold & Betty Felton, Uncle Jergen Bonhus, and Aunt Yvonne Montgomery. He is survived by his father Arnold Felton; brother Dennis & Sherry Felton; sister Dorry & Jeff Wallof; Aunty Audrey McKeag; Aunty Arlene Ringeisen; Aunt Irene Bonhus; son Chris & Julie Felton; son Chad & Laurie Felton; daughter Cassy & Travis Tufty; wife Nora; daughter Miranda; son Bryson; and “my other son” Matthew Perry. Doug is also survived by his nine grandkids: ShelbyLynn (Felton) & Andrew Kuhn, EmmaGrace & Matthew Semaan, LillianRose, RoarChristopher, Harley Arnold, and Fredrick John Felton; Dallas Key,Charles Allen, and William Douglas Tufty. He was blessed to see the birth of two great granddaughters Layla Jean and Hadley Ruth Kuhn. Doug is also survived by his second cousin-in-law and business partner Erik Bryson, his wife Erica, and their children Tessa Joy and George.

 

Pall Bearers: All of you. Everyone who has ever worked with him, laughed with him, cussed with him, fixed with him, sat on boards with him, loved and helped him try to make this world a kinder, gentler place by improving the farming and lending practices of rural America in general and his beloved Randolph in particular. You have all helped to carry this “poor dirt farmer from Minnesota” from this life to the next. 

Honorary Pall Bearers: Randolph Fire and Rescue Department.