View Donna's Funeral Folder Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 4, 2012 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore with Pastor David Peterson officiating. Burial followed at the Highmore Cemetery. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 3, 2012 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at Luze Funeral Home, Highmore. Donna Heckenlaible was born October 9, 1925 on a farm in Hyde County, South Dakota to Herbert and Katherine (Plum) Giesel. She was baptized as an infant and was confirmed and joined the Our Savior Lutheran Church as an adult. As a young woman, she worked as a waitress in Miller, SD at the Green Lantern and at Marshalls Café in Highmore, SD. On July 20, 1946 she was united in marriage to Marvin Heckenlaible. To this union two daughters were born. Throughout the years, she enjoyed being a mother, making quilts, doing craft projects, reading books about South Dakota history and anything else that piqued her interest. She especially enjoyed keeping track of everyone that had ever lived in Highmore as she seemed to have clipped every obituary out of the Highmore Herald and pasted them in scrap books or filed them in boxes. Sometimes she just liked to reread these and remember all of the wonderful people that she knew and loved. Her greatest accomplishment was learning to drive at age 60 and it was very difficult for her when she could no longer drive. She began working for the Hyde County Library when she was about 55 and then retired as the Assistant Librarian at age 70. The computer age was a bit intimidating to her and she didn’t feel like she’d be interested in learning how to navigate one. This was something best left for the next generation. Upon retirement from the Hyde County Library, she began delivering meals on wheels, taking others “uptown” to do some grocery shopping or just buzzing up to the Post Office to check her mail. She also cut many quilt blocks for the Circle she belonged to at Our Savior Lutheran Church. She always had time for her church. She became an avid fan of watching her grandchildren’s basketball and volleyball games as she supported their teams and always believed they played the best. Survivors include her two daughters: Frances (Harry) Miniken , Lakewood, WA and Erma (Garry) Van Zee, Highmore; one sister: Shirley Palmer, Blaine, MN; five grandchildren: Derrick (Tracie) Miniken, Redmond, WA, Tyson Miniken, Seattle, WA, Nathan (Maegan) Miniken, Tacoma, WA, Gavin Van Zee, Sioux Falls, And Tiffany Van Zee, Burnsville, MN; and three great-grandchildren: Connor Miniken (Derrick &Tracie), and Reiker Miniken and Kahri Robertson-Miniken (Nathan & Maegan); and numerous nieces and nephews. Donna was preceded in death by her parents: Herbert & Katherine Giesel; husband: Marvin; one sister: Beatrice; and two brothers: Willard and Wayne. Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Donna’s arrangements.
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Donna Heckenlaible, 86 years, 6 months and 20 days, of Highmore, passed away with her daughters at her side, Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at Highmore Health, Highmore, SD.
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