Donna Mihelich

Donna Mihelich, age 73, of Bird Island died Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at Olivia Hospital in Olivia.A Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bird Island with Rev. George Schmit as celebrant. Burial will be at a later date at Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora, MN. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. at the church on Saturday. Arrangements by Dirks-Blem Funeral Service, Olivia, MN.

On December 2, 1946, Fred ‘Spotty’ and Frances (Skerjance) Mihelich of Aurora, Minnesota welcomed a daughter they named Donna Marie. She was born in Eveleth, Minnesota and was the youngest of three children. She grew up a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Aurora. Donna graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School in 1965 and attended Eveleth Business School in 1966 and 1967. She worked the next 11 years at Sears, Roebuck & Co.in Minneapolis before moving to Olivia, Minnesota to be near her sister, Peggy, and family. She worked at Keltgens Inc the rest of her career, 39 years, until her retirement in 2015.Before her retirement, Donna moved to Bird Island where she was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, serving as a sacristan in later years.

Donna cherished her family and many friends and loved spending time with them, especially her visits back to the Iron Range.She was cherished in return by those same friends and family, an integral part of every family event. She could often be seen puttering around in her yard planting flowers and decorating her cozy and inviting home.Donna was a true inspiration to those who knew her, living with cancer with great faith, grace, and strength. It did not define her. She was a friend to all at the Carris Health Cancer Center in Willmar during her many years of doctoring there. A visit from Donna was truly an event.

Donna is survived by her brother Fred (Sue) Mihelich of Shoreview; brother-in-law Mike Keltgen of Olivia; nieces and nephews Molly (Darrell) Oeltjen of Villard, Sara (James) Gallagher of Gates Mills, Ohio, Mary (Jason) Mimay of Woodbury, Paul (Jennifer) Keltgen of Waconia, Robert (AmySudmeier) Mihelich of St. Paul, Patty (Charles) Wood of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, Peter (Leslie) Mihelich of North Ridgeville, Ohio; great-nieces and nephews Ellen and Scott Oeltjen, Henry and Jack Gallagher, Charlotte Keltgen, Madisen and EJ Mihelich.

She is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Margaret ‘Peggy’ Keltgen.