Douglas Differt

Douglas Henry Differt

August 27, 1933 — March 21, 2026

He had a brain for math and science, soil samples and slide rules, but he loved The Curse of Oak Island and William Shatner’s Unexplained. He believed the whole universe and everything within it were connected by vibrations. 

Doug was born in Jordan, Minnesota, on his mother’s birthday. Doug grew up with an older brother and four little sisters. He graduated from Long Prairie High School in 1951. After serving in Germany during the Korean War, he used the GI bill to get his civil engineering degree at UND Grand Forks. He enjoyed a long career at MN DOT, during which he got a Master’s degree at Yale University, and then embarked on a bonus career as a consultant. He finally retired at 85. 

He met Jan at the Knotty Pine dance hall in Browerville, Minnesota, in 1959. They married in 1962 and have been inseparable since then. Doug loved cabin life in Wisconsin. He and Jan enjoyed over 30 years lakeside and were happiest when the cabin was full of family. Doug was also dedicated to higher education. He established a scholarship at Inver Hills Community College for engineering students. 

He was preceded in death by parents, Clarence and Edith, brother Thomas, and sister Anita. 

He is survived by wife Jan, daughters Krista Hurcomb (Chris) and Kerrie Whipple (Jeff), two grandchildren, Sam and Katie Hurcomb, his sisters Lois Muehlbauer, Marilyn Truhlsen, and Nancy Tschida and their families, in addition to many in-laws and about a million nieces and nephews who all called him “Uncle Pete.”

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the staff at Allina Health Cancer Institute in Hastings and Allina Health Hospice. Visitation and services will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Hastings. Visitation will begin at 10:00am and service at 12:00pm, with lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Our Saviour's Lutheran Church or the Doug Differt STEM (D3M) Endowed Scholarship at Inver Hills Community College, which gives preference to engineering students. Gifts may be mailed to the Inver Hills Community College Foundation, (note "Doug Differt Scholarship"), 2500 80th Street East, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076, or given online at www.inverhills.edu/give.

May the vibrations of the universe continue to connect us all.