Friday, September 1, 2017

Donna Imogene Schiessler

March 19, 1935 - July 6, 2017

AURORA, Colo. — Donna Imogene Schiessler passed away on Thursday, July 6, 2017, at the age of 82 after a fierce battle with health issues over the past few years.

Donna was born on March 19, 1935, in McCook, Neb., to Ernest and Fay Nelson. She was the sixth of seven children with five brothers and one sister. She married Terry Schiessler, also of McCook, on Nov. 4, 1949. Donna and Terry graduated from McCook High School in 1953, and moved to Denver, Colo., to attend the University of Denver. She completed two years at DU and then left school to raise her growing family of three sons and one daughter.

After Terry graduated from DU, they moved to Aurora where he taught, counseled, coached, and officiated sports for over 25 years until he suffered an untimely death in 1987. Donna worked in several Aurora schools as a cook and dietary planner until Terry’s passing. She lived in Aurora for 58 years and was constantly nurturing and loving her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. From her perspective, the wait of over 30 years to join Terry was way too long.

Donna was an ardent sports fan. She was the Hinkley High school baseball scorekeeper while Terry was coaching there. She also actively supported the multitude of sporting events of her children, and often hosted their teams at her home to entertain and cook for them. Not to be lost was her passion for following the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets, and NASCAR racing.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Terry, and four of her brothers. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Baker of McCook; her brother, Dick Nelson (Peggy) of Milwaukee, Ore.; children Terry (Rita) of Evergreen, Colo., David (Suzanne) of Mountain View, Calif., and Jay (Debbie) of Westminster, Colo.; daughter, Becky Rodgers (Tim) of Greeley, Colo.; 11 grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and 11 step-great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held Sept. 9, 2017 at 11 a.m., when her ashes are scattered with Terry’s at the Mount Lindo Cremation Nature Garden in the mountains southwest of Denver.