DONNAVIEVE “DONNA” NILLES

Donnavieve “Donna” Nilles, 83, died January 28, 2023, at Careage Hills in Cherokee, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 4, 2023, at First Covenant Church, 201 Ave. H, Fort Dodge, with Pastor Redenius officiating. Interment to follow in North Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Friday, February 3, 2023, at Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Donnavieve Elaine Krug, daughter of Vern and LaVonne (Kampen) Krug, was born August 2, 1939, in West Bend, Iowa, number four of five daughters. Donna graduated from West Bend High School in 1957. She was married to Melvin Nilles for 17 years and from that marriage they had 6 children: Wayne Nilles of Fort Dodge, Holly (Steven) Pierce of LeMars, Larry (Vicki) Nilles of Elliot, Julie (Lyle) Strickland of Stanton, Janet (Scott) Hilbert of Fort Dodge and Cheryl (Kevin) Campe of Cherokee.

Donna enjoyed taking care of people throughout her life working at the Webster County Home, Friendship Haven, and the Bickford Cottage, retiring to care for an infant for 2 years. Donna loved her family, vacations, dancing, playing cards, her “Red Hat Society” outings and making “little bits” dolls.

She is survived by her pride and joy; her 10 grandkids, several great-grandchildren, her children, and her sister Ethel Kleeper. Donna was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Shirley and John Doty, Jannalee Fry, Beverly and Marvin Mogler, her brother-in-law Bob Kleeper and son-in-law Roger Forslund.