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Obituary for F. "Dona" Maiden
Florence Donelda 'Dona' Maiden passed away peacefully Saturday, March 19, 2016 at the Christian Community Home in Osceola, Wisconsin. Born November 28, 1928, she was the daughter of Ella Faye Burmester of Waterman, Illinois.
Dona grew up in Waterman living with her mother, Faye, her grandmother Mayme, and her great-grandmother, Lou Hobble. She attended Waterman High School, graduating in 1946. She worked at the Cyclone Fence Company, paying her way through college, first at Park College in Parkville, Missouri, then graduating in 1951 from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, being the first person in her family to matriculate.
It was at Cornell that she met Merle Maiden of nearby Martelle, Iowa, and the two were married in 1952. They first lived in Hinckley, Illinois and in 1962 moved to Minnesota to be near Dona's mother, Faye, and her husband, Joseph Griska, living first in Cottage Grove, and then Saint Paul Park. Dona taught school, worked for Ecolab for several years, then began a long career in the Visual Products division of the 3M Company. 3M moved her division to Texas in 1989, and she and Merle resided there until she retired, whereupon they moved to Knoxville, Iowa. She moved to Luck, Wisconsin, where daughter Mary and her family reside, in 2006, when Merle passed away. She then divided her time between Luck and son Daniel's home in Bradenton, Florida. Dona's health began to fail in 2012, and she moved to assisted living at the Christian Community Home, where she resided until her passing.
Dona was active in church most of her life, and her faith was an important pillar of her life. She was a lifelong musician, playing piano, accordion, and clarinet, and singing in school and church choirs. She loved to sit at the family's old upright in the dining room playing old hymns and rustic tunes, creating the 'Fumble Fingers Fellowship' with her children on their own instruments. Dona and her family loved camping and travelled throughout the country. She roller-skated first with Merle and later with the entire family before they discovered square-dancing, an activity in which she and Merle participated for over twenty years. She enjoyed knitting and sewing, an activity which was shared with other family members. Dona enjoyed gardening and canning, and was a life-long reader, passing on her love of books to her children. Throughout her life, Dona loved cats and many fortunate felines enjoyed the love of her family.
Dona was preceded in death by husband, Merle; son, Joseph (Debra) Maiden; and mother, Faye (Joseph) Griska. She is lovingly remembered and survived by son, Robert (Jeanine) Maiden of Roseville, Minnesota; son, Wesley Maiden of Austin, Texas; daughter, Mary (Paul) Maiden Mueller of Luck, Wisconsin; and son, Daniel (Paul Ledford) Maiden of Granite Falls, Minnesota; granddaughters, Lauren (Alan) Maiden-Aery of Roseau, Minnesota, Ruth (Chris) Brown of Madisonville, Kentucky, and Mary (Michael) Schultz of Eagan, Minnesota; grandsons, John (Savannah) and Jacob Maiden of Madisonville, David Maiden Mueller of New London, Connecticut, and Geoffrey Maiden Mueller of Luck; great-grandsons, Leeland, Alden, and Christopher Brown of Madisonville, and Dalton, Jesse, and Elliott Maiden-Aery of Roseau.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, April 8, 2016 at Saint Mark Lutheran Church, 550 West Seventh Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, with visitation held one hour prior. Luncheon will follow.
You are invited to sign an on-line guestbook at www.rowefh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Rowe Funeral Home in Luck, Wisconsin, phone 715-472-2444.
