Donna M. Boulter

11/21/1930 to 1/7/2015

84, of Greeley

Donna M. Boulter was born Donna M. Soleman to Wallace and Eloise Soleman in Bartlesville, OK, on November 21, 1930.

Donna, the oldest of 3 siblings, grew up in rural Oklahoma on farms & in small towns on the edges of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Life was incredibly hard during that era, but Donna and her family navigated the hardships focusing on family, the simple pleasures of country life, their menagerie of farm animals, and hard work. Eloise, Donna’s mother who was part Cherokee, instilled in Donna respect for the interdependence of the natural world and a perspective that people & animals were brethren in the web of life. Caring for people and creatures great & small was a theme throughout Donna’s life.

In the 1940’s, her family moved to Wichita, KS, where Donna attended Derby High School, graduating in 1949.

Fun loving, athletic & popular, Donna loved extracurricular activities, honing many of her lifelong talents. Choir & Glee Club, playing violin in the orchestra, basketball & baseball teams, school plays and cheerleading were woven through her school years. She was often the instigator of crazy pranks and shenanigans in & out of the classroom.

In 1949, while working as a ‘Soda Jerk” at an after school hangout, Donna met her husband-to-be, Larry Stewart. Courtship followed, then marriage. Then in 1955 - their daughter, Sherri Lynn was born.

In 1960, the family moved west to Boulder, CO, where they started Stewart Brothers Construction, a homebuilding business. Donna enjoyed helping design the homes they built throughout Boulder. Donna was also an active member of Mountain View Methodist Church & Choir groups, Campfire Girls and many other community groups and causes.

After divorcing, Donna became a busy, working single mom holding positions at CU Boulder and at Flatiron’s Paving Company while still managing to be a great mother.

Donna’s good friend Mary conspired to set Donna up with Mary’s brother, Bill, a widowed rancher. Bill Boulter and Donna first met at a family gathering. Their romance blossomed and in1974, Donna and Bill married and embarked on a new chapter together. Donna moved to Bill’s family farm in Platteville, CO.

Marrying into a readymade family, Donna became step mother to Bill’s four children, Mike, Bill Jr, Carol and 15 year old Roger, the only one still living at home. They lived in Platteville for 16 years, and then later built a new home and farm on a windswept hill near Greeley transforming it with trees, a ½ acre pond, surrounded by crops and cattle. Donna continued to be involved in community organizations. Chamber of Commerce, Greeley Art Association as an avid water color artist, a patron of the Greeley Philharmonic orchestra and the list goes on.

Sadly, in 2007, her husband Bill passed away and Donna yet again had to adapt to a new role. Not ready to leave the home she and Bill created together, Donna stayed on with the amazing help and support of family, friends and a small team of caregivers who became her loyal and trusted friends. In 2014, Donna moved to a caring facility in Longmont where she passed away on January 7, 2015.

Donna was a loving sister, mother, grandmother & great-grandmother.

Donna is survived by her daughter Sherri Stewart O’Hara and son-in law Bill O’Hara; Step daughter and son- in law Carol Thompson & Ray Thompson, Step son and daughter in law Mike & Daisy Boulter, Step son and daughter in law Roger & Barbara Boulter, and Bill Boulter Jr. and his daughters. Grandchildren: Trevor Boulter, Tyson Boulter, Andy Thompson, Kay Ree Boulter, Daniel Boulter; Donna’s sister- Marsha Slade of Wichita, KS; Brother Edward Soleman; and many other relatives.

A Celebration of her life will be held on January 14, 2015 at Allnutt Macy Chapel in Greeley starting with a visitation at 9:00 A.M. followed by services at 10:00 A.M. Interment will be held at Mizpah Cemetery, Platteville, CO.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Weld County or the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra in care of Allnutt Funeral Services, 702 13th Street, Greeley, CO, 80631. Friends may view the online obituary and send condolences at www.allnutt.com.