Donald Eugene "Don" Mentzer, 83, died January 15, 2020 at Great Plains Heath. He was born June 25, 1936, in Arcadia, NE to Clyde and Irene (Hunt) Mentzer.

Don went to country schools in Custer County up until his family moved to Broken Bow where he attended his freshman year and then moved to Maxwell during the middle of his sophomore year. He graduated high school in 1953.

Don married Donna Hall on August 14, 1955 in North Platte. They had two children, Doug and Cindy. They moved to North Platte in 1959, where he drove a truck delivering fuel for York Hinman.  Don operated three convenience stores for Detleson Oil Company in North Platte.

Don leased the Mobil gas station in 1967 on the interstate.  In 1984, he bought the Amoco jobbership from Senator Jim Pappas and started Mentzer Oil Company delivering fuel to farmers and operating convenience stores, which he ran until his retirement in 2010.  After retirement, Don and Donna enjoyed traveling together and attending bluegrass festivals. He was a member of the Nebraska Petroleum Marketers Association for several years and served as president for two years.

He thoroughly loved bluegrass music and promoted a bluegrass festival in North Platte and in Lincoln for several years.  He sponsored local stock car racing and held season Husker football tickets for many years.  He loved spending time with his family and watching his kids and grandkids play sports, and he especially enjoyed coaching his son's H Street Market team from 1963-1968 when they went 54-4-1.  Don was a cub master for the Boy Scouts as well.

Survivors include: his wife, Donna; son, Doug (Denise) Mentzer; daughter, Cindy (Dan) Halligan all of North Platte; grandchildren Stephanie (Aric) Riggins of McCook, Amanda (Jeremy) Hankla, Brett (Kit) Mentzer, Craig (Erin) Freeburg, Travis Halligan all of North Platte, Sarah (Chris) Wright of Yuma, AZ, Monica Halligan, Los Angeles, Ca;  great-grandchildren Coleman, Riley, Kaden, Mason, Ben, Millie, Parker, Piper, Violet, and Hannah; sisters Lorene Reutzel of North Platte, Donna (Jim) Clark, New Jersey and his beloved dog, Banjo.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Delbert (Patty) Mentzer, Norman (Sharon) Mentzer, and a brother-in-law, Neil Reutzel.

Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association or to the First Baptist Church. Online condolences may be left at carpentermemorial.com.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2020, with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 at the funeral home.  Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at the First Baptist Church with Pastor Clint Walker presiding. Burial will be in the Plainview Cemetery, Maxwell.  Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.