Donna Lee Salmonson, 88, of Fergus Falls, passed away on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.
Donna was born June 13, 1931, to Clyde L. and Emily E. (Edgar) Rugg in Chicago, IL. In 1932 her family moved to Edwards, MN, where the purchased the Leeper Store and changed the name to the Rugg Store. She attended school in Edwards and graduated from Washington High School in Fergus Falls, in 1948.
On July 5, 1950, Donna married LeRoy Nodsle at the Bagstevold Church of Erhard, the couple lived in Moorhead. LeRoy passed away on November 1, 1957. Donna and the three kids moved to Edwards and helped her folks with the store.
She married Wallace Salmonson on May 3, 1969, at Tonseth Church, residing in Fergus Falls. For many years she and Wally spent their summers at their Ottertail Lake cabin. Donna moved to the Pioneer Point in 2006, where she resided until moving to PioneerCare in the summer of 2019.
Donna was a member of Tonseth Lutheran Church, the Homemakers Club, a volunteer at Lake Region Hospital, Lutheran Social Service Guardianship Program, and area nursing homes. She often helped neighbors with her snowblower. Her favorite pastime was gardening. Her other interests were sewing, bowling, and snowmobiling.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, LeRoy Nodsle and Wally Salmonson; a brother, Larry Rugg and his wife Pat, and a nephew, Todd.
Donna is survived by her daughter, Connie (David) Salsgiver or Portsmouth, Virginia; sons, Tim (Sharilyn) Nodsle of Bainbridge Island, Washington and Jeff (Becky) Nodsle of Corona, South Dakota, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Memorials are preferred to Tonseth Lutheran Church.
Visitation: Wednesday, January 22, 2020, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., with a prayer service and time of sharing at 6:00 p.m. at the Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls. Visitation will resume one-hour prior to the service at the church.
Service: Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. at Tonseth Lutheran Church, rural Erhard
Clergy: Reverend Darrel Saathoff
Interment: Tonseth Lutheran Cemetery, rural Erhard
Arrangements are provided by the Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls.
Online condolences may be sent to
www.olsonfuneralhome.com