Donald "Donny" Wichmann

Donald Dean “Donny” Wichmann, was surrounded by his family and died peacefully on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 after a 4-year battle with brain cancer. He was 53 years old. Donny was born on January 31, 1966 in Tyler, MN to Don L. Wichmann and Jan (Meyer) Wichmann. He grew up in Marshall, MN where he graduated from Marshall High School. Donny attended Augsburg College where he earned his degree in marketing and management in 1989. An undeniable passion of Donny’s was wrestling and coaching at Augsburg University where he was actively involved until 2009. He was considered one of the top middleweight wrestlers in Augsburg history, was a three-time Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, a national tournament All-American and a longtime assistant coach who was a part of 10 NCAA Division lll National championship teams with the Auggies. Donny was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2018, Donny was presented with the State Medal of Courage Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame-MN chapter. And Donny will be inducted into the 2019 class of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame on Aug 3 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Donny was joined in marriage to Mindy (Mattox) on August 8, 2000. The two soulmates began dating in 1986. Donny and Mindy loved to travel. Annual road trips out west became a favorite adventure for the two biking enthusiasts. Donny and Mindy intimately witnessed unique landscapes, wildlife and beautiful terrain, working and helping each other bike for several miles of unknown roads. Among the most frequently visited cities for a long weekend were Las Vegas, Chicago, and Nashville. Hiking and camping in the Grand Canyon, exploring Europe, and biking mountains in Colorado and France were cherished adventures they never took for granted. Donny was known to all for his smile, big heart and caring demeanor. Whether he was asking a young wrestler how his match went, commiserating with the guys about a story from yesterday years or offering a hand to someone in need of help, Donny was always present with that huge contagious smile. Family was very important to Donny. Not only was he an admired uncle, brother, cousin, son and grandson, but he loved so big that everyone thought they were his favorite. He was preceded in death by grandparents, R. Bernice Gibbs Meyer and F. Arnold Meyer, Lois Gifford Wichmann and Wallace Wichmann; father-in-law, Mike Mattox; and several beloved aunts and uncles. Donny is survived by his wife, Mindy; parents, Don Wichmann and Jan Wichmann; brother, Andy and wife, Candice and their children, Ashley and Aiden; sister, Jill and husband Dave and their children, Cynthia and Thor; In-Laws, Jan Mattox, Tom Mattox, Leigh Mattox and her children, Jimmy and Maggie Pfeffer; and several aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of his family. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 17 at 11AM on the campus of Augsburg University inside the gym of Si-Melby Hall (715 23rd Ave South Minneapolis MN 55454). There will be a gathering of family and friends from 9-11AM prior to the service which will begin at 11:00AM.