Donna Mae Landsman was born April 11, 1934, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Dr. Julius and Olive (Martin) Bishop. In 1944 she moved with her family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and graduated from Washington High School in 1952.
While working in Sioux Falls at National Reserve Life Insurance as a bookkeeper, she met Boyd Landsman from Centerville, South Dakota. On April 30, 1953, they were united in marriage and moved to a farm northeast of Centerville. They were in the cattle business with Boyd’s father and brother. They enjoyed farming 40-plus years and raised their four children, Cindy, Brenda, David and Lou Ann.
In 1995 they retired from farming and moved to their lake home on Don Ja Lei Beach of Lake Benton, Minnesota. This was their “Golden Pond Retreat”, living there for 15 years until Boyd’s health failed and they moved to Danebod Village in Tyler, Minnesota, in 2009. In 2014 they moved to Luverne, Minnesota, as Boyd entered the Minnesota Veterans Home and there he passed away on December 2, 2016. They were married for 63 years.
It was in August of 2021 when Donna moved to the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, Minnesota, where on Saturday, March 30, 2024, she died at the age of 89 years, 11 months, and 19 days.
Donna came out of retirement and was employed at Work Connection in Lincoln and Lyon counties of Minnesota. She was also employed at Hartquist Funeral Home in Lake Benton until she became a cook at the Tyler Hospital and Nursing Home as well as for Danebod Village in Tyler.
Among those who survive and gratefully shared her life are her children, Cindy (Mike) Eiserman of St. Louis, Missouri, Brenda (Bob) Sichmeller of Tyler, David (Lisa) Landsman of Lake Benton, and Lou Ann (Sam) Massengill of Friendsville, Tennessee; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; sister Betty Hodge of Sioux Falls; special friends Ralph Watts and Judy Ripley; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her in-laws, Ralph and Lillian.
A memorial service will be Saturday, April 13, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Living Rock Church in Luverne, with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Danebod Cemetery in Tyler.
To view Donna’s LifeTribute video or sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com.