Donna Joy Woodward

1935-2026

Donna Joy Woodward passed away gracefully on July 7, 2026, surrounded by family.

Donna was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, on December 9, 1935. She lived in Burnsville, MN, and McAllen, TX.

Donna spent her final years in Cannon Falls, MN where she lived at the Cannon Rivers Senior Living near family.

On September 24, 1955, Donna married her sweetheart, Donald Woodward, in Albert Lea, MN. They were married for 70 years. In addition to raising four children, Donna frequently fostered newborn babies from the hospital until permanent homes were found for them. Donna will be remembered for her caring and giving heart and her can-do attitude. A frequent volunteer, Donna spent many years assisting at Comfort House Hospice in McAllen, Texas, where she touched many lives. She aided in building houses in Mexico, where she tried to tell her construction worker partner that she had a girly hammer, but that it would still get the job done.

Donna loved to travel, she had many friends to visit all over, and if she didn’t have any friends where she wanted to go, well, she’d make some when she got there. Some of her favorite travels to recount were when she went to Israel and Egypt with her church. Donna loved to read and write (she was a member of the Christian Writing Academy), and she was always sending letters to update everyone on her adventures. She liked to go flying with Gary Stiner and loved to play games with friends and family.

Donna was a fearless woman who never let age deter her from new adventures; she went to college for the first time in her 40s and received her degree in English. On the more physically adventurous side, she skydived with her grandson, Jared, and grandson-in-law, Brian, in 2013 at the age of 77 and got her first tattoo (a sea turtle of course) at 79.

Donna is preceded in death by her mother and father, Beatrice and LeRoy Pierce, her brother LeRoy, and sister Bernadine.

She is survived by her husband Donald Woodward, her children: Sheryl Mitchell, Jay (Dawn) Woodward, Renee (Dave) Fahrenkamp, Valerie (Robert) Speer, her grandchildren: Wes Mitchell, Jared (Alison) Woodward, Erin (Josh) Stocker, Brittany Fahrenkamp, Amanda (Brian) Swanson, Michael Speer, and great-grandchildren: Millie Woodward, Raelynn Woodward, Lincoln Swanson, Henry Woodward, and Calvin Swanson. Go Grandma Go, Go Grandma Go.

A service in remembrance of Donna will be held at First English Lutheran Church (511 Belle St. Cannon Falls, MN, 55009) on Friday, July 17th, 2026 at 1:00p.m. with fellowship to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent in Donna’s name to Comfort House at: Comfort House Services, Inc. 617 Dallas Ave McAllen, TX 78501 Or through their website: www.comforthousergv.com