Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the church, concluding with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service.

Dona Jean (Wright) Nordstrom was born September 11, 1928 at Waukegan, Illinois to Frank and Blanche (Nickeson) Wright. She moved back to North Dakota with her mother and her step-father. She started school in Havana, ND. They later moved northwest of Veblen. In 1940, they moved to Akeley, MN. In 1945, Dona came back to Veblen and stayed with Grandma Nickeson and went to school for one year. On December 7, 1946, she married Marvin Hornseth. They lived north of Veblen. On October 9, 1951, Marvin died from polio. They had three children, Pauline, Cheryl, and Marvin. Dona moved into Veblen. On July 17, 1954, she married Billy (William) Nordstrom. Billy and Dona had three children. Dona worked at both the old and the new hospital in Veblen, the café and for Russell Peterson in the grocery store. She drove school bus for the Veblen School District. She was the first woman school bus driver in Veblen. She was on a bowling team for many years. She loved to cook and bake for her family and friends. If you asked Dona’s children, they would talk about how she baked bread and buns, earning them the name “the baked bun family.” As children, they thought boughten bread was a real treat because they never had it.

Dona was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Veblen. During their retirement years, they could often be found helping as extras to serving groups at Church. She was known for serving her yummy poppy seed cake. She belonged to the morning circle. She served on both the church and city councils. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Many other children also called her Grandma. Her great grandchildren called her GiGi. Dona and Billy enjoyed many years traveling and wintering in Arizona after they retired. When they decided that they could not make the winter trip anymore, they took an apartment in Veblen.

In May 2023, they moved into Countryside Assisted Living (CSI) in Rosholt, SD. Dona’s children are so grateful for the care and life they had at Countryside, and they believed that God had a plan for them. She still canned dill pickles, baked banana bread, and made rhubarb strawberry jelly on various occasions in the back kitchen at CSI! The other residents and staff truly became a part of Billy, Dona, and their children’s families. Billy passed away on May 18, 2024, and Dona passed away Monday, June 2, 2025 at Countryside Inn Assisted Living in Rosholt, SD at the age of 96.

Dona is survived by four daughters: Pauline Rhoades, Yankton, SD, Cheryl (Eddie) Dressler, Bismarck, ND, LaDona (Jerry) Nelson, Veblen, SD, and Laurie (Michael) Haapala, Kent, MN; two sons, Marvin (Rhonda) Hornseth, Towanda, KS, and Victor (Audrey) Nordstrom, Fargo, ND; two sisters, Dorothy Mathews, Walker, MN and JoAnn Rand, St Cloud, MN; sixteen grandchildren and their spouses; thirty-two great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Marvin Hornseth and Billy Nordstrom, her mother and stepfather; sister, Doris Gutierrez; brother, Roland Wright, grandson Jeremy; step grandson Justin; and two great granddaughters Kayla Marie and Sophie Marie.

Condolences may be directed to the family in care of Victor Nordstrom – 2015 67th Ave S – Fargo, ND 58104. An online guestbook and obituary are available at www.olsonfuneralchapel.

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