Obituary of Donna Lee Carroll

On Tuesday, June 13, at 7:30PM Donna began her forever experience in the unhindered presence of her Lord Jesus. She is now breathing heavenly air without tubes and inhalers as she runs with unimaginable joy through fields of flowers. Many of the family were by her side as she quietly changed her address, leaving behind the worn out body we held close these short years.

We’ll miss you, Donna.

Donna Lee Gustafson Carroll was born February 20, 1952 in Minneapolis. Her parents, Wayne and Lenore Gustafson, remained in Minneapolis until Donna finished kindergarten then moved to a farm west of Finlayson. When Donna was in Junior High at Finlayson School the family moved to a new home next to Pine River and Highway 18 where she lived until graduating as Salutatorian of her class in 1970. She and her family were members of the Sandstone Evangelical Free Church where Donna and her sister Lezlie sang beautifully together.

She was invited to the Senior Prom in 1969 by Dean Carroll, and their friendship developed into a lifelong adventure. Donna worked at Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance after High School until Christmas of 1971 when she married Dean who just finished Air Force basic training. They immediately moved to San Angelo, Texas where Dean finished training, then the adventure took them to San Vito, Italy for an extended “honeymoon” (three and a half year deployment with the US Air Force). Their firstborn – Steven – arrived in 1974, and Donna traveled to Weisbaden, Germany for the delivery. In 1975 after being discharged from the Air Force they made Colorado their home where four more blessings were added to the family: Maia, Leah, Josiah and Eva. After Donna’s mother Lenore died in 1991 they returned to Finlayson where Donna homeschooled the children for a time, then became involved in Harvest Christian School for the remaining few years of the kids’ education.

Donna continued to bless others musically as she sang in the worship group at Memorial Drive Bible Fellowship in Askov and occasionally joined Dave and Wendy Nelson and Dean in a quartet.

She and Dean made the move in 2011 to a home they began to build in 2008 on the shore of Fish Lake, then in 2013 joined with Ken and Pam Matheson to build a family business which became d’ears inc. jewelry and gifts.

Donna quietly endured years of COPD until she knew it was time to go. She was preceded in death by her mother, Lenore, baby brother, and step-mother Mildred, and is survived by her Father, Wayne Gustafson, husband Dean Carroll, sister Lezlie (Duane) Sundeen, children Steven (Sally), Maia (Myron) Nelson, Leah (Jaron) Matheson, Josiah (Nicole) and Eva (Paul) Johnson, 12 grandchildren, neices and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

We’ll honor her memory on the 26th of June with a celebration of life, visiting begins at 4pm, program at 5-ish, food and fellowship following, at the United Methodist church in Finlayson.