Donna Gail Stevick

83, passed away Friday,

Feb. 21, 2020, in her

home in Minot.

Donna was born at

home, in what was known

as the Aune House, in

Sundre Township, to

Ingvald and Bertha (Ap-

pel) Gjerde on July 30,

1936. She attended rural

schools in the township

and attended and graduat-ed from Minot High

School.

Donna was active in

4-H and was an excellent

cook, baker and seam-

stress and made many of

her own clothes. She met

the love of her life, Vern

Stevick, at a 4-H event at

the North Dakota State

Fairgrounds. They mar-

ried March 29, 1954.

They farmed and

ranched throughout their

marriage and her greatest

accomplishment was be-

ing a wife and mother and

helping Vern establish

their farm and purebred

Angus herd.

Donna often worked

off-farm. She was em-

ployed by the North Dako-

ta State Fair, Piper, Jaffrey

and Hopwood, and Dean

Witter Reynolds among

others.

In 1987, Donna decided

to return to college

full-time, after having tak-

en classes periodically

over the years. In May,

1989, she graduated with

a bachelor’s degree in so-

cial work with highest

honors. It was amazing to

watch her walk across the

stage and receive her di-

ploma.

Donna then worked for

St. Joseph’s Hospital as a

grief support liaison and

grief support group leader

until retiring in 1994.

She described her fond-

est memories as the wed-

dings of her children and

walking on Waikiki Beach

at midnight with her son

and daughter-in-law. Don-

na loved to cook, bake,

garden, read and do cross-

word puzzles.

Donna is survived by:

her husband of 65 years,

Vern, son, Quentin

(Anne) Stevick, Pincher

Creek, AB and daughter,

Coreen (Kirby) Ball, Chat-

ham, IL, a grandson,

Bryce Ball, Springfield, IL,

her sister, Karen

(Lawrence) Shaffner,

Mesa, AZ, her beloved

nieces and nephew, Lisa

(Kris) Sohn and their son,

Levi; Michelle (Stephen

Geffre) Shaffner and their

children Abbey, Samuel

and Thomas and Christo-

pher (Cindy) Shaffner and

their children Fern and

Ilene, all of the Minneapo-lis area. She is also sur-

vived by many lifelong

friends and cousins.

Memorial Service:

11:00 a.m Thursday,

February 27th 2020 at

Faith United Methodist

Church, Minot. Visitation

one hour before services

at the church on Thurs-

day.

Thomas Family Funeral

Home, Minot is entrusted

with her services.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomas

familyfuneralhome.com.