Donna Mae Waterbury, 89, of Cherokee passed away Sunday, July 6, 2025, at Cherokee Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 11, at Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee. Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee. Visitation with the family present will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday night at Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.greenwoodfuneral.com.
On Sept. 30, 1935, in a farm house at East Chain, Minn., a baby girl was born to Jens and Esther Irene (Benson) Madsen. They named her Donna Mae. She was baptized and confirmed at East Chain Lutheran Church.
Donna attended East Chain School until sixth grade when the family moved to Swea City. When she started school in Swea City, she met another girl who had just moved there. The girl had the same last name (Madsen — no relation). Donna was seven days older than Leah. They became very good friends and still are.
After graduation from Swea City School, Donna worked at Eddie’s Food for five years.
On Nov. 2, 1955, Donna was married to Richard (Dick) Waterbury at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Swea City. Dick was on leave from the Navy. Three days later, Dick went back to the Navy and Donna to work. Their wedding day was fast and furious!
Dick and Donna lived in Honolulu, Hawaii; Swea City and Cherokee. They moved to Cherokee when Dick became a state trooper for 30 years.
In 1970 they bought an acreage east of Cherokee and raised cattle, sheep and pigs. Donna attended to baby pigs and saved many at birth.
In 1979, Dick and Donna sold this acreage and moved to 80 acres they had bought in 1973. They raised cattle and crop farmed. Donna was not a tractor person, so she gave Dick some merry rides!
Dick and Donna were animal lovers and had several dogs, cats and horses. Any dog or cat wandering in found a home with them.
In addition to her long-time friend Leah (Madsen) Miller, Donna leaves behind special friends Clem Shemmel, Dennis Oleson, Joanne Jones and Sandra Heid.
Donna is survived by her husband; brothers, Roger (Donna) of Spirit Lake; and Dennis (Carol) of Fairmont, Minn.; sisters-in-law, Karen Williamson of Des Moines; and Delores Waterbury of Fairmont, Minn.; and 13 nieces and nephews.
Donna was preceded in death by special friends, Wayne and Bill Carson. She was also preceded in death by her parents; sister Karen Tarrant; sister-in-law Marilyn Schoon, brothers-in-law, Merlin Waterbury and Gary L. “Butch” Waterbury; and nephew Michael Madsen.
