Don Dramstad, 79

Don Dramstad, 79, passed away in Ormond Beach, Florida, on March 28, 2024. A proud son of Montana, Donald Lee Dramstad was born in Glasgow, in the northeastern part of the state on Sept. 2, 1944, to Albert and Etta Dramstad. Fourth in a family of 10 children, he was raised in the tiny town of Saco until age 12, when the family moved to Kalispell, in the Flathead Valley near Glacier National Park.

Continuing a family tradition of service in the Navy, Don enlisted after graduating high school and learned the skills to become a dental technician, later settling in the Washington, D.C., area. He owned his own dental lab, Dramstad Dental Design, for 45 years and was renowned for his fine work in a demanding field. 

Don served his community as a volunteer; he was a member of the Loudoun County Rural Economic Development Council and the Loudoun Valley Farmers Market Association board of directors. In the mid-1990s, he developed a passion for dahlias, growing countless blooms over the years in his home garden and helping to introduce new varieties at trial gardens. The hybrid “Crazy 4 Don” was named in his honor. He served two terms as president of the National Capital Dahlia Society and two terms as president of the American Dahlia Society, where he shared his knowledge with many aspiring growers, and his flowers were displayed in the White House.

After Don’s marriage to Janice del Monte in 1965, the pair had three children; Jeffrey, Melissa, and Amanda (Wil). Marrying Judith McGinnis Ledbetter in 1978, Don became a second father to her son, Kyle. Together the couple managed Don’s business; enjoyed cooking, gardening, and traveling; and built their dream home in Loudoun County. Their time was cut short by her passing in 1991.

With his marriage to Rhonda Desmedt in 1999, Don welcomed her children; Daniel (Sarah), John (Mara), and Adrienne (Tim); to the family as well. Over the years, Don and Rhonda kept family (including lots of grandchildren) and friends very well fed and entertained, hosting multiple weddings and other gatherings at their homes in Virginia and Florida. Together they grew flowers and vegetables, kept honeybees and enjoyed five Sussex Spaniels, took an epic trip to New Zealand, and sold Don’s Dahlias at the Leesburg Farmers Market and to the cut-flower trade for 17 years. Don loved music, including the songs of John Prine, good food and wine, and the magic in a good batch of compost; his family and friends will miss his sense of humor, welcoming nature, and the beauty he brought to the world.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held late summer when the dahlias are blooming.