Donovan Peter English

Donovan Peter English age 67, passed away peacefully on August 10th, 2025, at the Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND, surrounded by his family and loved ones. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 16th, 2025, at the Olson –Schwartz Funeral home in Bemidji, MN, with a private family burial to follow at a later date. 

Donovan was born on November 23rd, 1957, in Red Lake, MN, to Darrill Peter English Sr. and Mary Jane (Smith) English. He grew up in Redby and attended St. Mary’s Mission school and Red Lake High School. He later attended the University of Crookston, MN for Mechanic school and attended Bemidji State University. 

In high school Donovan played Football and Baseball. Throughout, his life had many hobbies, he loved to hunt, fish, trap, ride four wheelers, snowmobile and his greatest hobby was riding his Harley-Davidson Motorcycle. During his younger working years, he had many side hustles such as being a top fisherman, certified mechanic, trapper, and logger. He was first employed with the Redby Mill and then with the Red Lake School District, where he served as a bus driver, mechanic, and the Director of Transportation, until his retirement in 2017. He was also a proud member of the Red Lake Nation College Board.

During his retirement he enjoyed going to bingo “when he had a Bingo, he was notorious for hollering bingo so loud that the whole casino would hear him, scaring people who sat near him.” He would get the biggest kick out of this. Don also enjoyed gambling, going out to eat and going for long joy rides with his other half Cindy. He especially cherished watching his grandchildren play, who excelled in their sports and was amazed at how big they had grown. He loved spending time with family and friends, enjoying family gatherings that involved a good barbecue or a good fish fry. He loved baked goods, nothing compared to his sister Wanda’s famous homemade pies and cinnamon rolls. 

Donovan will be remembered for his love of family, his adventurous spirit, contagious laughter, and the joy he found in life’s simple pleasures. 

He is survived by his significant other of 47 years Cindy Pemberton of Redby Mn, Siblings: Wanda Lyons of Redby Mn, Peter English Jr. (Kim) of Little Rock Mn. His Children: Dawn and Dheena English. Stepdaughter Wendy Pemberton of Redby Mn. Special nephew Dana Lyons Jr., Special niece Danelle Nelson, Grandchildren: Kaleb “KP” Pemberton, Mariah Graves, Matthew “June” Graves Jr., Maximus “Maxie” Graves of Redby Mn, His Grand pups: Rosie and Leader. His numerous nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his beloved Parents Darrill “Peter” English Sr. and Mary Jane English Siblings: Pamela Kay English, Eldora Malone, Gary English, Shelley English and one Grandbaby Graves. 

Active Pallbearers; Peter English Jr, Scott Pemberton Sr., Dana Lyons Jr., Al Pemberton, Tyson Nelson, and Kaleb “KP” Pemberton and Lee Arnold Pemberton. 

Honorary Pallbearers are Maximus Graves, Matthew Graves Jr., Tyson D. Nelson, Chaise Nelson, Rusty Nelson, Delbert Lasley Sr., Jeff Kingbird, Darrell “Raggs” Johnson, Gregg “Rawhide” Jourdain, Arnie Wood, Leo Beaulieu, Mike Nelson, Pete Busse, Dan Johnson, Red Lake Nation College Board, Red Lake School Bus Garage, Red Lake IHS Dialysis Staff, and the Bagley Bingo Crew.

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