A family service open to the public will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Williston. The Rev. April Peterson will officiate this service. All who knew Donna Jean are encouraged to come.
Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Williston on Thursday from 12-5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and one hour before services at the church on Monday.
Donna Jean Harstad, the second daughter of Ole and Olga (Rollofson) Hellen of Fortuna, was born at the Divide County Hospital in Ambrose on Oct. 30, 1930. Donna was raised on the family farm and attended the DeWitt #7 School in Fortuna, one year at Crosby High School and graduated from Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo in 1948. She later attended Interstate Business College in Fargo before enrolling at NDSU in Fargo, graduating in 1953 with a B.S. degree with a major in social studies and a minor in vocal music education. She taught in Hawley, Minn., McHenry, Gackle and Noonan in North Dakota and also Poplar, Mont., before returning to Fortuna in1974 due to health reasons.
On Jan. 2, 1954, she was united in marriage to Melvin Harstad in Williston, just before his departure to Korea. To this union, one son, Keith was born. Melvin died in 1970. Donna served as president of the northeast Montana Music Educators Association and was a state board member of MMEA. She is also a lifetime member of NEA. During this time, she took advance music classes at various colleges and universities. She felt very fortunate in having the privilege of studying under the renowned Fred Waring and staff of the famous Pennsylvanians and Norman Luboff.
She is the past director of the Heritage Center Choraleers and a past member of the Entertainment Committee and was also member/director of the Red Hat Chordettes. She served four years as president of the Williston Council for Aging. She was also a past member of the Williams County Council of Aging, Sons of Norway, and Women of the Moose. Donna also was a member of the Fortuna Ladies Aid, the Fortuna and Williston Senior Citizens, the N.W. Chorus of Crosby and the North Dakota Association for the Blind.
She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church of Fortuna, and more recently attended Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Williston. Music was Donna’s life. She enjoyed dancing and singing, and concerts. She was always busy and on the go.
Donna is survived by her son, Keith (Gladys) Harstad of Fortuna; sister, Harriet Uren of Reno, Nev; and sister-in-law, Mildred Grondahl of Williston; several nieces and nephews, Sue Dianda, Fred (Lori) Church, Cliff Uren all of Reno, Dennis Grondahl of Rapid City, Loren Grondahl of Bakersfield, Calif., Larry Grondahl and Arlene Swenson, both of Williston, and Gail Grondahl of Seattle.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Melvin; an infant son; nephew, Milford Grondahl; and special friend, George Wolter.
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