Donna Lee Veigel, 62

On the evening of Aug. 15, 2012, Donna “left this life to be with her Lord and Savior” from her home in Creston, with her family at her side. She had put up a hard fight with COPD for a number of years.

Donna was born on March 8, 1950, in Missoula, to Clarence and Sally Brown. Her family moved frequently throughout Montana, and in 1968 they moved to Columbia Falls.

On Aug. 16, 1969, she married George Ritter. To this union two children were born, Tana and Nicole. In 1978, George was killed in a woods accident.

Donna worked at the Nite Owl and continued raising her two daughters. On Feb. 20, 1987, she married Larry Veigel. They celebrated 25 years together earlier this year.

Donna loved people and working at the Nite Owl, which she had to give up due to her disease. She also loved her roses, Betty Boop, bailing hay, cooking, canning, family gatherings and her cat Tippy. She was very versatile and could do anything she put her mind to, and loved new challenges.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Sally Brown; her first husband, George; and a sister, Clarice Brown.

She is survived by her husband, Larry, of Creston; her two daughters, Tana and husband Gary Anderson, and Nicole and husband Herb Ferguson, all of Columbia Falls, and her children through marriage, son Gary Veigel of Creston, and daughter Tricia and husband Kevin Alexander of Louisiana.

She is also survived by her siblings, Constance Brown, Carrie McCalpin and Clarence Brown Jr., of Helena; 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls with inurnment following at Fairview Cemetery, after which a reception will be held at the Back Room.

Arrangements are entrusted to Columbia Mortuary.

You are invited to go to www.columbiamortuary.com to offer condolences and to view Donna’s tribute wall.