Donald Pung, 83, of Beal City, passed away Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at McLaren Central Michigan. A Funeral Mass for Donnie will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with Father Ricky Varner as celebrant and Deacon Larry Fussman assisting. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery with a luncheon concluding at Beal City Knights of Columbus Hall. The family will receive friends in the gathering room of the church on Friday from 3-8 p.m. with the Rosary beginning at 7:30 p.m. Visitation continues on Saturday one hour prior to Mass. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph the Worker School. Envelopes will be available at the church or at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home. Donnie was born May 25, 1933, in Beal City, son of the late Joseph A. and Mary C. Mattie (Simmer) Pung. He graduated from Beal City High School in 1951 and married his sweetheart, Diana Stanley on May 11, 1957, at St. Philomena Church in Beal City. Donnie worked for Seiter Cement Block in Clare and also in the carpentry business for Walts Builders. When Walt retired, Donnie and Melvin Funnell started M & D Builders. Donnie later began working for Beal City Public Schools for 10 years in maintenance and later worked at St. Joseph School in maintenance and grounds. He was still helping at funeral Masses until the time of his death. Donnie was a faithful member of St. Joseph the Worker Parish and enjoyed taking the Sunday church bulletins to shuts-ins. He was a member of the Beal City Knights of Columbus Council 3651, the Beal City Business Association, and enjoyed 45 years of hunting in the Upper Peninsula with his buddies of the Blue Goose Gang. Donnie enjoyed being outdoors and hunting. More than anything, he loved being with his family, especially his grandchildren; often taken the grandchildren on four-wheeler rides on bumpy pathways. Donnie is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Diana; eight children, Debbie Grewe of Georgia, Dennis Pung of Weidman, Darlene (Ed) Heimbuch of Colorado, Donna Bell of St. Louis, Doris (Bill) Hensley of Colorado, Deanna Pung of Colorado, Dan (Susan) Pung of Beal City, and Dottie Mueller of Ypsilanti; 17 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Jack Pung of Beal City, and Raymond Pung of Weidman; sister-in-law, Caroline Pung of St. Johns; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mattie Pung; infant son, Dean; daughters, Dawn Pung and Deidre Deedee Pung; siblings, Vada Tilmann, Gerald Pung, Adelbert Pung, and Robert Pung.
