Man’s book proceeds go to Foundation established in memory of his son
By Scott Thoma
Inside Don Orth’s office in downtown Olivia, the retired banker sits down at the piano and plays a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace.” The photos on the walls around him are a reflection of his life, past and present.
“I play the piano almost every day,” he said. “It’s a way to relax for me while also doing something I enjoy.”
Some of the photos adorning the office include his late son, Tim, who passed away in 1997 from a brain tumor at age 18. While Tim was undergoing treatment, a foundation was set up in his name by family friend Bill Neubauer.
The Tim Orth Memorial Foundation was designed to help families in west central Minnesota that have children facing illness or injury. Since its inception in 1996, the foundation has raised over $4 million and helped hundreds of children.
One of the fundraisers every April brings in NBA mascots from several different teams, including “Crunch” of the Minnesota Timberwolves, “Bear” from the Utah Jazz, “Chuck the Condor” from the Los Angeles Clippers, “Boomer” from the Indiana Pacers, and more.
Don, 80, has written an inspirational book every year for the past 16 years, with all proceeds going to the foundation. Several of the 16 non-fiction books are collaborations with several others and include short stories on events they have endured or witnessed in their lives.
The most recent book “Prairie Acts of Kindness” has stories in which people have witnessed people being nice to one another. Previous books have been stories on love, humor, cooking, bucket lists, military, and faith, to name a few.
Despite losing his son, Orth also lost his wife, Ann, and a grandchild. Because of his strong faith, he forges ahead with the many things he is involved with. “We have no choice but to move on from adversity,” said Don. “I try to stay busy. Besides working on the books and playing piano for retirement places, banquets, and other places, I am also in a barbershop quartet, am a founding member of the local Kiwanis, and I am the chaplain for the Legion here.”
Don, a U.S. Army veteran, is involved in most of the Legion programs. He was emcee for the recent Veteran’s Day program and played piano for the vets at the nursing home in Olivia.
Don had a few piano lessons when he was younger, but he mainly taught himself how to play piano by ear. If he hears a song on the radio, for example, he can sit down and play it.
Don was born and raised in Redwood Falls, the oldest of three siblings. He was involved in sports, band and choir in high school before graduating in 1962. He then attended St. John’s University and studied Business, Accounting and Finance. After college, he went to work for IDS in the IDS Tower in downtown Minneapolis for eight years.
He married Ann Terwey in 1972 and they had four children, Kevin, Molly, Tim, and Mike.
Don left IDS in 1975 and moved his family to Olivia where he started a branch of the Redwood Falls Savings & Loan Bank, which years later became Hometown Bank.
Life was great for the Orth family until tragedy struck 29 years ago.
“Tim was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December of 1995 when he was 16,” Don said. “We tried everything that was available at the time to help him, including doctoring locally, the Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, Duke University, alternative medicine, vitamins, trips to Mexico and the Philippines, and spiritual methods through the Catholic Church.”
Tim, who was a sports standout and an honor student at BOLD High School, passed away on Valentine’s Day in 1997. “While Tim was sick, Dave Neubauer, a Bird Island chiropractor, told us that he knew about a faith healer in the Philippines,” Don said. “Since Tim was diagnosed as terminal, Dave suggested that we try it and said he would hold a fundraiser to pay for us to spend a month in the Philippines with this faith healer.”
That was in 1996 and the beginning of the Tim Orth Memorial Foundation benefit. After that, Bill and Janelle Neubauer took over and created the Tim Orth Memorial Foundation to help families that have excessive medical expenses.
One of the popular benefits put on annually by the TOMF is “Jam the Gym” events in late March in Bird Island, Glencoe and Winthrop.
Several NBA mascots are on hand to hold an exciting dunking contest, senior boys and girls basketball players from area schools also compete in all-star games and three-point contests, and other unique entertainment is provided for packed gymnasiums.
“I’ve only been involved in the benefits in a small way with donating proceeds from my books,” said Don. “It’s been mostly the Neubauer family and a group of dedicated friends who run the Tim Orth Foundation.”
Don said that in October in recent years, he would awaken suddenly and get an inspirational message from a higher source on what his next book should be about.
Family tragedy struck again when Ann Orth was diagnosed with leukemia in 2015. Don, who had retired from banking in 2014, then became her caregiver until her passing in 2016, the day after her 70th birthday.
“I was alone for a couple of years and I didn’t like it,” said Don. “I started dating on the internet and met Carol in 2018. She was living in Otsego and taking care of her mother, who was in a nursing home in Cold Spring.”
Don and Carol were married in 2022, the same year another family tragedy hit. Don’s son, Mike, and his wife, Heather, lost 3-year-old daughter Zoey to a brain tumor. Don was able to get through all the dark days of his life because of his faith. “I’m fortunate I had God to help me get through those things,” he said. “Being up or down is your own choice. For me, I chose to look at how to get through the losses. It takes time, getting closer to God, praying more, and surrounding yourself with positive people.”
Copies of Don Orth’s books are available by emailing doncorth@gmail.com.