Dona Fay Keller, 72

Dona Fay Keller died suddenly at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at Rapid City Regional Hospital, in Rapid City, S.D.

She was born July 19, 1939, in Kalispell, to Dallas and Margaret Fay (Steckman) Eklund.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Martha K. Elletson.

Dona is survived by her husband of too-few years, Charlie Keller, of Rapid City; her son, Ted Jacobson, of Rapid City; son, Mark Wise, of Houston; and daughter, Carrie Wise, of Kalispell; her sister, Rita, and Bill Ullmann, of Pocomoke City, Md., and brother, Brian Eklund, of Kalispell; stepson, Fred, and Shannan Keller, of Georgetown, Idaho, stepdaughter, Dorothy, and Ken Tolman of Eagle Mountain, Utah; three nieces, four nephews; nine great-nieces and four great-nephews; 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Dona enjoyed starting her morning with a coffee and the crossword puzzle, which she tag-teamed with Charlie. Add a chocolate truffle, and the morning couldn't be much better. She was an avid reader, of any genre, was quite successful in out-guessing the writers on TV crime shows, did some serious pinochle at the Senior Center in Rapid City and was a long time bowler, harking back to team bowling with her mother and sisters in Las Vegas.  

“Cutting the rug” was a favorite for Dona and Charlie. She appreciated art in its many forms — from hand-painted farmers’ market animals to photo art to the great masters. Embracing technology, she had a great time chatting with friends and family online, and with computer gaming, “Pogo anyone?” From Hank Williams to Elvis to Enya, toe-tapping tunes to romantic melodies, music struck a special note.   

While traveling with Charlie prior to retirement, Dona became well versed in practical storage for fifth wheel living. Since retiring, leisurely car trips, accompanied by the well-placed hotel, were enjoyed while visiting friends and family in Montana, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Missouri. (There's a song about that.)

She was a member of Acacia Chapter No. 12, Order of the Eastern Star, Grand Forks, N.D., and Adah Chapter No. 17, Kalispell.

Dona had a great love of life, an analytical yet reflective, problem-solving nature, found as much enjoyment in a corn dog as a dinner in a fine restaurant, (although her thrifty Swede-side tended to the corn dog). While she found great delight in flowers and animals, her sneezes did not. She made friends wherever she journeyed. Mistress of a fading art, she crocheted blankets for many a new grandchild, niece and nephew. Each Christmas she gifted her three kids with an ornament she had hand-crafted or painted.

Family interment, and a memorial, will be held in July in Kalispell, at a date to be announced.