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Donna Rae Balerud

Nov. 8, 1933-Jan. 17, 2020

Donna Rae Balerud, 86,

Minot, passed away on

Friday, January 17, 2020,

in her home.

Donna Rae Lee was

born on November 8,

1933, a daughter of Julius

and Alma (Olson) Lee in

Minot ND. She was rais-

ed and educated in the

Verendrye, ND, where she

attended country school,

then moving to Velva

High School, where she

graduated in 1952.

On August 15, 1953,

Donna Rae was united in

marriage to Elroy Balerud

at First Lutheran Church

in Minot ND. They made

their home in Minot,

where she was a

homemaker raising their

son, Lee, and for time 2

very close nieces, Toni

and Jacque Bennett.

She was a member of

First Lutheran Church,

where she taught Sunday

School and was involved

in the Ladies Circle.

Donna Rae loved and

enjoyed children. She

loved having them around

her to nurture, teach and

guide. Donna was ex-

tremely close and in-

volved with her nieces

and nephews and later

her grandchildren Erin

and Brynn Balerud and

loved having them at her

home, sometimes staying

for extended periods of

time. She also enjoyed

sporting events and trips

with her husband, broth-

ers, sisters and their fami-

lies around the Country

and to both coasts.

Donna greatly appreci-

ated nature and grew

flowers as habitat and

provided food and shelter

for area wild birds to be

sure they could nest in

her yard. She loved her

fragrant lilacs and had her

yard bordered with hol-

lyhocks for the hum-

mingbirds that she loved

to watch disappearing

into and coming out of the

large flowers on the tall

stems. She believed in

taking care of what she

was blessed with and was

known to have her favor-

ite birdhouses repaired

time and time again over

many years.

Those who shared in

her life:

Husband of 66 years,

Elroy Balerud; Children:

Lee (Carole Wiekamp)

Balerud; Grandchildren:

Erin (Chris Rummel)

Balerud and Brynn

Balerud (Karver Balerud);

Great-grandchildren:

Karver Balerud, Payton

Enquist, Thomas Teague;

Sisters: Avis Booth, Vir-

ginia Bayne, Janice (Jim)

Bennett; Sister-in-law:

Delores Lee; and several

nieces and nephews also

survive.

Donna Rae was preced-

ed in death by her

Parents; Grandson: An-

drew Balerud; Brothers:

Howard Lee & Donald

Lee; Nephew: Perry Lee;

and Brothers-in-law: Tom

Booth & John Bayne.

Visitation: Thursday,

January 23, 2020, from 10

until 11 am at Thompson-

Larson Funeral Home

Chapel, Minot.

Funeral Service: Thurs-

day, January 23, 2020, at

11 am at Thompson- Lar-

son Funeral Home

Chapel.

Burial: Thursday, Janu-

ary 23, 2020, following

the service at Rosehill

Memorial Cemetery.

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home, Minot