Donald L. Derks

Donald Derks ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Creel Funeral Home - Lewistown on Mar. 16, 2026.Donald L. Derks, 91, of Hobson, passed away peacefully at home on March 13, 2026, surrounded by family.Don was born November 14, 1934, in Clyde, MO, to John and Veronica (Klaas) Derks, the youngest of ten children. He graduated from Jefferson High School in Clyde in 1952, and joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1953, serving as active duty from 1957-1959. He trained in Great Lakes, IL (MCB7 [Seabees]) and built a Coast Guard Station in the West Indies of the Caribbean.Before his service as active duty and after graduating high school, Don started spending his summers heading north to a little farm and ranch community in Central Montana called Denton. He would come up with a group called the "Missourians" to help local farmers harvest their crops. It was during one of these times that Don attended a dance in town and met the love of his life and wife of 67 years, Marilyn Dickson. Don married Marilyn Dickson, on June 21, 1958, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Denton, and began building a life in Montana. He picked up steady farm work with the Barber family, went on to serve active duty, the first of his children were born, and he graduated from Montana State University-Bozeman with a degree in Ag Production in 1962.Around 1960, Don and Marilyn moved their young family to a property north of Benchland and began to raise Black Angus cattle. While his children were young, Don split his time between the herd and coached the boys in baseball for a number of years. In 1979, he moved the family into Hobson and continued ranching with his sons throughout the Judith Basin.Throughout his life in Central Montana, Don was a very involved member of the Hobson community and left an impression on many, especially with his infectious laugh and wonderful sense of humor – often finding happiness in the simplest things. In the early days, Don often spent free time on a softball field, striking out his fellow farmers and ranchers. All those strikes paid off, and he was inducted into the Montana Softball Hall of Fame in 1988. He also enjoyed cooling off at Ackley Lake, south of Hobson, and even built a chair-water ski in the eighties, which was rediscovered decades later and attempted by his grandson Evan and grandson-in-law Joe. The sheer happiness and laughter that came out of Don when he saw those boys crashing repeatedly before successfully staying atop the water became a core memory for those at the lake that day. An avid fan of sports, Don especially enjoyed watching Class C basketball – traveling to Great Falls to watch the divisional and/or state tournaments every year, even long after all grandkids graduated and up until very recently.Don's creative legacy shined through many staples of Central Montana life through the 1990s, 2000s, and current day. For 35 years, he was a key participant and organizer in the annual Montana Bale Trail-What the Hay event, creating elaborate hay sculptures such as a team of horses made from hay pulling an old-fashioned plough, God M-hay-de a Farmer, and a Wild Rod-hay-o. Together with his daughter Cynthia, Don also designed and built the original Santa's Workshop viewed by thousands of children on the North Pole Adventure Christmas Train (Charlie Russell Choo Choo). Don's handiness was used as a key part of the remodel project at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.Everyone who knew Don knew how much he enjoyed tinkering. In true Derks form, Don always had a project going – whether it was a puzzle (thousands of puzzles were completed through the years), building elaborately detailed birdhouses or villages, bottle-feeding spring calves and kittens, Don was never short on things to do. Perhaps one of his grandest projects of all came in restoring the Philbrook Barn-a 100-year-old barn filled with historical and irreplaceable treasures from days long ago-and getting the Wood Lawn Farm registered with the Montana Historical Society. For years, the barn was a big Mid-w"hay" stop on the Bale Trail, where Don and his family served fry bread tacos and he built a hay maze for tourists to enjoy.In the last few years, Don also enjoyed time with family and friends at his and Marilyn's 60th wedding anniversary celebration (which ended in a family ping pong tournament), his 90th birthday celebration in Lewistown, and resting in the shade tents at the Hobson Crazy Days watching the annual, highly competitive cornhole tournament, while his great grandkids ran amuck, making him laugh. He was also still mowing grass around the ranch properties, and Don always enjoyed moving snow with the Bobcat (the spring storm last weekend may have been his parting gift).For 91 years, Grandpa's smile and easy laugh, rancher's work ethic, and commitment to the community impacted generations of people around him. We have enjoyed the stories shared with us this week and we see reflections of him popping up in the newest generation of great grandchildren every day. His legacy will live on, and he will be missed by all who knew him.Donald is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children, Keith (Sheri) of Hobson, Russ (Karen) of Tempe, AZ, Cynthia (Andy) of Moccasin, and Roger (Stacey) of Hobson; grandchildren, Cole (Michelle), Whitney (Joe), Evan (Emily), Corbin, Noa, Chloe and Carter; great-grandchildren, Collins, Seeley, Hayes, Wells, Archer, Monte, Kelby, Callen, Avery, Cashlyn, Sawyer, and two due this summer; and many nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his parents, five sisters, and four brothers.A Vigil will be held Friday, March 20, at 7:00 PM, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hobson, viewing to take place at 6:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 21, at 10:00 AM, with a burial to follow at Philbrook Cemetery.The Hobson Ambulance is an incredible service in our community and we would like to encourage donations to this resource in lieu of plants/flowers. Hobson Ambulance Fund, 2434 Antelope Creek Rd, Hobson, MT 59452Arrangements are under the care of Creel Funeral Home. Donald's family and friends can share memories and condolences at www.creelfuneralhome.com.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.