Donna Dee Rambow

Donna Dee Rambow, age 92 of Willmar, passed away at Bethesda Grand on Friday morning, Jan. 28, the anniversary of her husband Gerald’s death on January 28, 2011.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Bethel Lutheran Church.  Interment will be at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Raymond.  Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 31, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service.

Donna Dee Rambow, a woman of wit, grit, spunk, joy, resiliency, faith, and grace, was born in Raymond, MN, to William J. and Leone Wegner on August 18, 1929. She died at Bethesda Grand in Willmar on January 28, 2022.

Donna Dee grew up in Raymond and married Gerald Rambow at the age of 16. They welcomed their first daughter the same year her mother passed, but ever resilient, she returned to school and graduated with her class in 1947, while caring for her father, sister, new husband, and her baby. During her life in Raymond, she and Gerald celebrated the births of 4 more children, and ran Wegner’s Market (later Rambow’s Market). They closed the meat market in 1972 and became caretakers of Kandiyohi County Park #3 on Diamond Lake for 20 years, delighting in the changing seasons, campers, and scooping many ice cream cones in the store. Following their retirement, she and Gerald bought their very first house and moved to Willmar. She worked for a time at Herberger’s and volunteered at Rice Hospital. Following Gerald’s change in health, they sold their house and moved to West View Village. She spent her final years at Bethesda, where she received excellent care.

Donna Dee had many hobbies, scrap booking, knitting and counted cross stitch, reading, camping, traveling (including supporting her family in the RAGBRAI), and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Above her many interests, she always prioritized her family and was ever-present at her children’s, grandchildren’s, and great-grandchildren’s activities. A woman of great faith, she was an active member of her church congregations, St. John’s, Bethlehem, and Bethel, singing in the choir and leading Bible studies. She made friends wherever she went with her easy humor and generous spirit.

Through all of life’s hardships and joys, Donna Dee always saw life as an adventure and loved a good party. She celebrated her 60th birthday with a family luau to share her experience from her trip to Hawaii, and her 85th birthday by taking a hot air balloon ride. Her 92nd birthday brought one last fun family party. As her health declined, she was surrounded with company, songs, and good conversation from her family and friends, a testament to the bonds she created and the way she loved her people. She passed peacefully in her sleep.

She is survived by her daughters Suzzanne (Clayton) Rye and Melissa (Steve) Bergeson, and by her sons Lyn (Marge) Rambow and Lyle (Londa) Rambow.  Surviving grandchildren include Ben (Sarah) Hoese, Tim (Lynn) Hoese, Becky Wagenbach, Denelle (Kelly) Czech, Nicole Flesner (Jeremy Jongbloedt), Tiffany Flesner (Adam Norris), Courtney (Drew) Millard, Chelsey (Mike) Headrick, Chase (Kate) Rambow, Bridget Bergeson (Wesley Burdulis), Megan Bergeson (Matthew Suedbeck), and Nicholas Bergeson. Great-grandchildren include Andrew (Megan) Hoese, Graham (Casandra) Hoese, Emma (Tristan) Kiffmeyer, Theo Gilbertson, Kaden and Kami Czech, Sophie and Emmy Honeycutt, Kyla and Isaak Wiser, Corey and Elsie Wagenbach, Lucia, Lyla, and Ledger Millard, Dane and Heath Headrick, Ridge and Callum Rambow, and one great-great-grandson, Jackson Hoese. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Marian Larson, Signe Rambow, Carol Jean Rambow, and Judy (Rollie) Boll, beloved niece Frankie Scalzo and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gerald Rambow, daughter Ronna Flesner, son-in-law Dennis Flesner, sister Billie Lynn Nichols, brothers-in-law Glen Rambow, Floyd Rambow, Allan Rambow. Earl Larson, Nick Nichols, and Donald Hultgren and sisters-in-law Mavis Hultgren, Mary Rambow and Lillian Rambow.

Memorials may be directed to the Bethesda Foundation, 901 Willmar Ave SE, Willmar, Mn 56201. We thank the wonderful health care workers at Bethesda for Donna Dee’s excellent care.