Obit: Froeba, Donna E. #3 (1936 - 2014)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Beaver, Beverley, Durst, Finn, Froeba, Graffunder, Gregory, Smazal

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, WI) 7/15/2014

Froeba, Donna E. (Gregory) (28 JAN 1936 - 1 JUL 2014)

Donna E. Froeba, age 78, of Colby, passed away Tuesday, July 1, 2014, at the Pine Ridge Assisted Living Facility of Colby with her daughter, Bonnie, by her side.

Donna was born January 28, 1936, to Theodore and Etta (Beverley) Gregory in Owen. They later moved to Loyal, where she attended Saint Anthony’s Catholic School and was a 1953 graduate of Loyal High School. On October 7, 1953, Donna married the love of her life, Thomas R. Froeba, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Loyal.

The newlywed couple moved to Colby for a short time and then bought a small farm east of Abbotsford. In 1972, they relocated to Loyal where Donna owned and managed the Loyal IGA grocery store. In 1975, they sold the store and moved back to Colby where they ended up retiring. After the death of her husband, Tom, she settled in New London in 2012, to be close to her daughter, Bonnie, and has resided at Pine Ridge Assisted Living since April 2014.

Donna also held many jobs through her younger years. She was secretary for Robert W. Klinner & Associates CPA in Marshfield, legal secretary for DA Clarence Gorsinger in Loyal, secretary for O.W. Trindal of Loyal, and a secretary for the Wisconsin Women’s Bowling Association.
She was a longtime member of the Colby VFW Post No. 2227 Ladies Auxiliary and a member of the Loyal Snow Angels snowmobile club.

Donna had a true love for music and it all started in high school when she played clarinet for the Loyal High School band. She was also the marching band’s majorette and led them with her baton twirling. She also loved to play the organ and keyboard. In her younger years, Donna enjoyed snowmobiling and was an avid bowler and bowled on many leagues. Of recent, she loved to collect jewelry and enjoyed watching the Packers and the Badgers and would always listen to the UW-Madison Marching Band, which brought back fond memories of her marching days. But most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is lovingly survived by her children, Daniel Froeba, who currently resides at Marathon County Health Care Center in Wausau, and Bonnie (Rev. William) Finn of Dale; her grandchildren, Kari (Tim) Smazal, Amy Froeba, Sara Graffunder, and Rebecca, Billy and Tommy Finn; and her great-grandchildren, Brooke, Dylan, Ashlyn, Kenley, Tylee, Gabryelle, Lukas, Lillyann and John.

Donna is preceded in death by her husband, Thomas R. Froeba on January 17, 2011; parents, Theodore Gregory and Etta Beverley; and all of her siblings, Beverly Beaver, Arthur Gregory and Sharon Durst.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 7, 2014, at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford. Rev. William Finn presided. Inurnment took place at St. Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery in Loyal. A visitation was held from noon until the time of service on Monday.

The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford assisted the family with funeral arrangements. Friends may send online condolences to www.maurinaschilling.com.