David Bruce Rawlins, 84, of Watkins, MN, formerly of Litchfield, MN, died Friday, April 7, 2023, at Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins.

A memorial service will take place Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel, MN, with Pastor William Marschall officiating. The interment of the urn will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.

A time to gather with the family will take place one hour prior to the service at the Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel.

David Bruce Rawlins, the son of Charles and Helen (Zieffler) Rawlins, was born May 30, 1938, in Hamilton, ND. David was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith.

David graduated from the St. Thomas High School in St. Thomas, ND.

David was united in marriage to Beverly Ann Lee April 15, 1961. Together, they made their home in North Dakota before they moved to Minneapolis, MN, in 1964.

In 1976, they moved to Maple Grove, MN, where they resided until 1981, when they moved to California. In 2004, they moved to Litchfield, where they lived until David moved to Dassel, MN, in 2021, following Beverly’s death.

David had been employed as a dock worker in Minneapolis for several years, and was a production manager at a plastic bottle company in California before retiring.

He enjoyed spending time with family, from fishing to talking about the Vikings on how close they got again. He loved animals; he would talk about his dog, Sheba, all the time. His true love was with horses, as he owned four of them over the years.

When they decided to move back to Minnesota, he got to enjoy watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s sporting events, and he would attend whenever he was able. He will be missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his son, Mitch (RaChelle) Rawlins of Dassel; nine grandchildren, Matthew Rawlins, Kari (Toby) Chellin, Travis (Alyssa) Rawlins, Michael Rawlins Jr., Brandon Rawlins, Michelle Rawlins, Kati Lacey, Shannon (Dylan) Reiner, and Kevin Lacey; five great-grandchildren, Alec, Coral, Adilynn, Mycah, Bennett, and a Reiner baby on the way.

He is also survived by his siblings, Leonard Rawlins, Mary Moore, and Wanda (Jim) Berg.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly; son, Michael Rawlins; daughter, Monica Lacey; his parents, Charles and Helen Rawlins; and siblings, Virginia Hiller McLean, Robert Rawlins, Margaret Miller, and John Rawlins.