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SHERBURN -- A celebration of life service for Donna Jean Nawrocki, 90, of Sherburn, Minn., will be held 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, at the Kramer Family Funeral Home Chapel in Trimont, Minn. A public visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, at Kramer Family Funeral Home in Trimont. Private family burial will be Thursday in St. Luke's Catholic Cemetery, Sherburn, Minn.
Donna was called to her eternal rest Saturday morning, Oct. 1, 2022, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minn. Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.kramerfuneralhome.com
Donna Jean Martens was born Aug. 3, 1932, to Otto and Carolyn (Hagemann) Martens at their home in Elm Creek Township, Martin County, Minn. She was baptized at home by Rev. R.L. Parmeter and was later confirmed at the Sherburn Methodist Church. She attended country school at Districts 86 and 97 from 1st to 7th grade and was a 1950 graduate of Sherburn High School. She attended Mankato Commercial College and was employed at Railway Motors until her marriage to Albin J. Nawrocki on Aug. 28, 1951, in Sherburn, Minn. After their marriage, they lived and farmed near Sherburn. She worked as a secretary-bookkeeper at Monsanto Ag Center from 1964-1967, as a tax accountant for Ledge Whitehead Law Office in 1968, and as a secretary-bookkeeper at Sherburn Elementary School from 1968-1991. She retired to travel with her husband and spent winters in Florida, Arkansas, Texas, and Arizona, until he passed away on July 25, 1998. After his death, she volunteered at the Fairmont Community Hospital and Clinic, Sherburn Senior Dining, Sherburn Blood Mobile, Martin County Relay for Life, and at her church. She served on St. Luke's Advisory Council, the Fairmont Hospital Foundation Board (2004-2009), and as Secretary-Treasurer of her circle. She was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church in Sherburn, St. Luke's CCW, Sherburn Legion Auxiliary, Retired Educators, and was a lifetime member of FCH Auxiliary in Fairmont. She enjoyed time with family, gardening, playing word games, movies and theater, traveling, riding roller coasters with her grandchildren, and lunches and breakfasts with her family, classmates, and friends. Those left to cherish her memory are: daughters, Linda Nawrocki (Errol Phillips) of Cross Plains, Wis., and Kathleen (John) Park of Mankato, Minn.; grandchildren, Emily Park of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Timothy Park of Ann Arbor, Mich.; brothers-in-law, Urban (Nina) Nawrocki of Sherburn, Minn., and James Lichliter of Chanhassen, Minn.; two great-grandsons; many nieces and nephews. Donna was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; one grandchild, Frank Nawrocki; her siblings and their spouses, Helen and Keith Whitehead, Sydney and Fran Martens, Lloyd and Charlene Martens, and Marilyn and Darrel Anderson; and extended family members; Clara and Frances Theobald, Cyril and Bernice Nawrocki, Viola and Floyd Sheely, Lillian and Wally Huse, Mildred and Francis Huston, and Elaine Lichliter.
Memorials are preferred to the Sherburn Volunteer Fire Department or a charity of the donor's choice.