Donna Florence (Kraft) McKenzie passed away on February 13, 2022, with her children by her side at Norbella Senior Living, Prior Lake, MN. A celebration of Donna's life will be held 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at St Lawrence O’Toole Catholic Church, Michigan, ND. Donna will be interred beside her son and husband at the Michigan Cemetery following the Funeral Mass.
Donna was born December 26, 1933, and raised on the family farm seven miles east of Strasburg, ND. She attended rural country school Exeter #4 in Emmons County. At the age of 18, Donna moved to Milwaukee, WI to work at Briggs & Stratton. She often talked about her time spent in Milwaukee going with girlfriends to see bands such as Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Frank Sinatra. After saving enough money, Donna returned to Bismarck, ND to attend Christie Beauty School. She began her cosmetology career at Plaza Beauty Shop which she purchased a year later. Then in 1965, opened The Pampered Lady Beauty Salon in downtown Bismarck.
On March 3, 1962, she married Peter ‘Kelly’ McKenzie in Bismarck. In 1971 Donna sold her business when the family moved to Michigan, ND when Kelly took a position with Lamb's Bank.
Donna worked part-time at the local beauty shop while raising her four children. She was active in the Michigan Homemakers, Red Hat Society, Michigan Duffers Club, American Legion Women's Auxiliary, Book Club, and volunteered at Heritage Arts. Through all these activities she built many cherished friendships.
Faith and prayer was an important foundation in her life. Donna was an active member of St. Lawrence O’Toole Catholic Church. She was a eucharistic minister, youth teacher, and served on the women’s council. After her son Peter’s death in 1987 she began attending the Koinonia Ecumenical Center founded by Sr Brigid Kavanaugh. She often said how that helped her through life’s journey by understanding how God works through other religions.
Donna enjoyed gardening, canning, embroidery and cross-stitching, stamp art, painting, reading, and journaling but her true joy was the time spent with her children and grandchildren.
Donna was preceded in death by her son, Peter Francis; husband, Peter Kelly; parents, Frank and Julia Kraft; sister, Ann Stolz; and brother-in-law, Jack Stolz.
She is survived by son, Dane (Darcy), Mendota Heights, MN; son, Michael (Fanta), Potomac, MD; daughter, Shannon (Jason) Hillman, Prior Lake, MN; grandsons, Cpl Peter Dean McKenzie USMC, PFC Donald McKenzie USMC, Jackson, Simon, Rhys; granddaughter, Eveline; and three nieces, Julie Kraft, Jodi Jenkins, and Janee Parson.
Memorials preferred to the Peter F McKenzie Memorial Endowment, NDSU School of Architecture, 1241 North University Dr, Fargo, N.D. 58102.
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