Donna Melom

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The memorial service for Donna June Melom of Albert Lea will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Curtis Zieske will officiate. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation with her family will be one hour before the service at the church.
Donna died, Monday, Sept. 22, 2008, at Thorne Crest Retirement Community. She was 87 years old.
Donna was born June 21, 1921, at Ryegate, Mont., to Peter and Clara (Houglum) Quam. She graduated from Ryegate High School then attended St. Olaf College for one year and transferred to the Fairview School of Nursing and received her nursing degree.
She married Arnold Melom in 1944 in Minneapolis. After Arnold was ordained into the ministry they served congregations in Detroit Lakes, Howard Lake, Byron and Albert Lea. She was a very active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Donna was a member of the church circles, quilting group and altar guild. She organized the schedule for Meals on the Go and volunteered at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
Donna enjoyed gardening, the outdoors, going for walks, sewing, growing flowers and entertaining. She was a fan of the Minnesota Twins and went to many Albert Lea basketball games. Donna also played the piano, wrote poetry and loved to go to cultural events. He special interest was baby sitting her grandchildren.
Donna is survived by two children: Janet Gardner and her husband David of Montevideo and Ken Melom of St. Louis Park; three grandchildren: Brock Gardner of Mankato, Kimberly Laun and her husband Greg of Ham Lake and Tim Melom and his wife Alizabeth of Richfield; brother: Arnold Johnson of Billings, Mont.; and several nieces and nephews.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents; husband Arnold; son David; sister Audrey Olsen; and brother Paul Johnson.