Donna Mae Menn, 82, of Norwalk died Thursday, April 10, 2014, at Morrow Memorial Home in Sparta.
She was born Oct. 17, 1931, to Adolph and Clara (May) Weiland of Kendall. Donna was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Menn on July 2, 1955.
Donna attended school in Kendall and went on to graduate in 1953 from the La Crosse Teacher’s College (which later became UW-La Crosse), with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education. She taught two years in La Crosse before her marriage and then two years after in Sparta before starting their family. Donna returned to teaching first grade in Norwalk Elementary School for 29 years, until her retirement in 1994.
Donna and Bob took over the family farm in 1955 and continued to raise Jersey cattle as the family’s fourth-generation farmers. They moved to Norwalk in 1988, when their son Harvey took over the farm. Donna was an active member of St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church of Norwalk. She was a faithful volunteer with Friends of the Library in Norwalk and an avid reader herself.
Driving through Norwalk, she was often seen out with her dog, Missy. Donna devoted her life to educating children, both hers and the ones in the community whom she taught. She will be missed by many, but her memory will live on.
She is survived by four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Marcia (Tony) Arndt of Slinger, Wis., Bradley (Melissa), and Valerie; Marian Menn (Ed Korlesky), Nathan and Colin of Marshfield, Wis.; Harvey (Jackie) Menn, Kayla, Jenna, Ryan and Kyle of Norwalk; Charles Menn (Dr. Edrie Greer) of Youngsville, N.C.; two great-grandchildren, Conner Arndt and Samuel Menn; a brother, Harvey Weiland of Kendall; a sister, Everly (Roger Pasch) of Eden Prairie, Minn.; a sister-in-law, Marie Ann Joers of Wauwatosa, Wis.; plus many nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, who died April 2004; her parents; a sister-in-law, Bonita Weiland; and a brother-in-law, Charles Joers.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, April 14, at St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church in Norwalk. Pastor Matthew Minzlaff will officiate. Burial will follow in Wanderer’s Rest Cemetery in rural Norwalk. Family and friends are invited for visitation from 2–4 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church in Norwalk. Visitation will also be held Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church. The Torkelson Page-Smith Funeral Home of Sparta is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.
