Donna Lou (Sathre) Williams

Donna Lou Williams was born October 9, 1928 and was peacefully called home on June 22, 2019 at the age of 90. Donna was born to Johnny Burdette and Bertha Emelia Sathre in Austin, MN. Austin is a small community that was established by Norwegian settlers long ago, and continues to thrive as a farming community, along with the ever world famous, original Hormel meat packing plant and Spam Museum where her father worked to support the family of nine children.

As an early immigrant family, in order to better keep track of each other, Donna’s maiden name “Sathre” was a name that was agreed upon by the previous generations of family members when they immigrated from Norway. She’s actually from a very long line of prolific Pedersons and Bensons.

Shortly after graduating high school, Donna’s aspirations of becoming an airline stewardess or an actress took her to Los Angeles in hopes of being discovered! Eventually, Donna found her new home in Albuquerque, NM where raising her four children was her first priority and was done so with never a moment that lacked for love. Further down the list was the sharing of her masterful cooking skills with her children, most notably how to make Lefse.

In 1977, Donna married Thomas Jefferson Williams “TJ”, and they remained inseparable. This union brought together a wonderful melding of three more children referred to as the “Brady Bunch” and with the charter members numbered seven kids!

TJ, being a lifelong member who ascended to the position of State President of the New Mexico Elks Association (NMEA) BPOE Lodge 461, often had conventions and such where together, he and Donna loved to travel, dance, and socialize over the years alongside the lifelong friends they had made.

Donna has surely been met with the loving arms of the Lord, in the next journey, along with her parents, and six of her siblings to include, by order of birth: Harvey Burnett Sathre and wife, Alice Minnie Sathre (Johnson), Paul Luverne Sathre and wife, Alice Elizabeth Sathre (Crilly), Helen Jean (Sathre) Huseby and her husband, Byron Junior Huseby, Dorthy Mae (Sathre) Bellrichard and her husband, Basil Edward “Sparky” Bellrichard, Maynard Berdinus Sathre and wife, Joanne Jean Sathre (Turner), William James Sathre and wife, Morna Ruth Sathre (Miner). Donna passes on the torch of the matriarchal role to her surviving sisters, Joan Beverly (Sathre) Adams and husband, Thomas Marshall Adams Jr. and Ann Marie (Sathre) Eppen and husband, Gary Dean Eppen.

Donna, who for a little while longer, leaves her loving husband, TJ, with us, is also survived by seven children, Debra Lou (Kilgore) Malanify and husband, Jeff of Albuquerque, Craig Daryl Williams of Park City, UT, Ileen Marie (Kilgore) Molloy and husband, Marty of Albuquerque, Karen Anita (Williams) Shelton and husband, Bill of Austin, TX, Sandra Lynne (Williams) Tevis (wife of Mr. Bruce Tevis RIP) of Artesia, NM, William Robert Kilgore and wife, Tracy Ann (Bowers) Kilgore of Albuquerque, Judy Ann (Kilgore) Rieman and husband, Ralph of Albuquerque; many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren who will miss Donna dearly. It’s also worth mentioning that Donna had a love for dogs. If it’s true that all dogs go to heaven, it’s sure to have been overrun with Pomeranians by now.

A sincere thank you to all the family, friends and hospice angels who helped Donna on the journey to heaven. We will see her again.

Services will be held Monday, July 1, 2019, 10:00 a.m., at FRENCH – Wyoming.