Donna Mae Gades, 87, Wayzata, formerly of Benson

Donna Mae Gades, 87, died March 4, 2014 at Golden Living of Hillcrest, Wazata, MN.  Funeral services were held Saturday, March 8th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Holloway, with interment immediately following at the church cemetery.
Donna was born on November 9, 1926, at home in Shible township to parents Leonard and Alma (Winkelman) Anderson.  Donna was baptized on November 13, 1926 and was confirmed on March 17, 1939, both at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Holloway.  She was raised in the Holloway area and graduated from Holloway High School in May of 1944.
On August 11, 1944 she was united in marriage to Ernest “Ernie” Gades.  This union was blessed with six children: Linda, Jerome, Donald, Darlene, Jeffrey, and Lonnie.  Donna was a lifetime member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Holloway and was active in Immanuel’s Ladies Aid, taught Sunday school, and volunteered at many other church functions over the years.  She was an original member of the “Buzzin Duzzin” Homemaker’s Club and also a member of the “Over 50” club in Holloway.  She was a retired Postmaster of the Holloway Post Office.  During retirement, Donna and Ernie were blessed with the opportunity to travel around the United States and Canada.
 
Donna is survived by five children: Linda (Daniel) Petrella of Minnetonka, Donald (Betty) Gades of St. Cloud, Darlene (Dale) Hauschildt of Plymouth, Jeffrey (Kristi) Gades of Appleton and Lonnie (Pamela) Gades of Eden Prairie; daughter-in-law Karen Gades of Holloway; 14 grandchildren: Jason Petrella, Adam (Rachel) Petrella, Andrea (Daniel) Sorenson, Sara Petrella (Charles Nyblom), Gregory Gades, Stefanie Gades (Richard Sylte), Shanna (Ryan) Ludvigson, Aaron Gades (Kayla Forsman), Anthony Gades (Nadine Nereson), Matthew (MyLan) Gades, Collin Gades, Katlyn Gades, Megan Gades, Taylor Gades; 13 great-grandchildren: Carter and Ethan Petrella, Natalie, Aidan, Lucas Sorenson, Tanner, Callie, Chloe, Lyndsey Ludvigson, Riley and Braden Gades, Oscar Gades, Sofia Nyblom; 3 sisters: Jean Anderson of Phoenix, AZ, Joan (Barry) Miller of Prior Lake, Darbie Dee (Dirk) Berger of New Prague;  and nieces, nephews,  and  other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Ernie; son Jerry; parents, Leonard and Alma Anderson; step-mother, Eunice Anderson; sister, Sandra Lee Birkland; grandparents that raised her, Fred and Bertha Winkelman; grandparents, Jens and Alice Anderson.