Mrs. Donna Mae Ellen Karlsen Winters

Donna Mae Ellen Karlsen was born on September 14, 1936 in Foxholm, North Dakota. She was the fifth of 11 children born to Einar and Elina Karlsen. She grew up on a farm and preferred working outside with the boys to normal household chores. For at least one year, she held the title of “barn boss” which allowed her to wear the big boots and the barn jacket and boss her siblings around.

After graduating from high school, she attended Minot State Teachers College for one year on scholarship before heading out west in search of adventure. Her journey began in Seattle, Washington where she lived with her brother Ken before moving in with some girlfriends. About a year later, she decided to head south with her sister Clara to meet up with another sister, Lois, in San Diego, California. In 1960, she moved to Portland. She met and married Jerome Winters in 1961 while both were working at Pacific Power & Light. Over the next nine years she had six children.

Donna’s life revolved around her family. She believed that staying home and raising her children was her most important job. She taught them the importance of education while still encouraging them in extracurricular activities. She attended basketball games, band concerts and other school activities, as well as often being the chauffeur to and from those events. She encouraged her children in their different interests and taught them a strong work ethic and respect for others.

She returned to the workplace in the early 1980s, working part-time at Meier & Frank for about a year and a half before taking a position in accounts payable for the Army Corp of Engineers. In 1988, after sending her youngest off to college, she temporarily moved to Texas to join her husband who was employed in Austin. After less than a year, she missed her children too much and decided to it was time to go back home. She urged Jerry to look for work in the Pacific Northwest. Upon her return, she got a job at the Bonneville Power Administration where she was employed up until the time of her death.

Like her mother, Donna loved babies. While her own children were young, she faithfully served in the nursery at Central Bible Church. After her first grandchild was born in 1991, she became the family babysitter. She loved taking care of the grandkids, almost to a fault. In the last few years of her life, there were very few weekends that didn’t involve at least a few hours with at least one grandchild. They were the light of her life.

Donna loved to get together with her family. People often commented that they couldn’t believe how much time her family spent together. It was a given that all holidays and birthdays would be celebrated together, whether it be a picnic in the park, a barbecue in the backyard or a big fancy dinner around the dining room table. But it was more than just holidays. Friday evenings were basically an open invitation for anyone who wanted to go to dinner. Where should we go this week? Asia Kitchen, Busters, Newport Bay?

She also loved to spend time with her brothers and sisters. Although she didn’t get to see them as often, she always looked forward to the big Karlsen family picnic each August.

Though she lived many different places earlier in life, Donna loved the Pacific Northwest and her home most of all. She much preferred touring Oregon or staying home and working in her yard to a big trip across the country. She had a green thumb and could keep plants looking great longer than most of us could even keep them alive.

Donna is survived by her husband Jerome, her daughters, Shelby, Sherilee, Shauna, and Shannon, her sons, Stafford and Stanford, and her 11 grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters, Ruth, Clara, Lois, and Joyce and her brothers, Marvin, Kenneth, Harley, Milford and Victor. We will all miss her immensely but know that she is now in a much better place, with her Savior.