Donna Heald, 78, of Gillette, WY, died Sunday, May 12, 2024. Memorial services will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday, May 20, 2024, at Church at the Barn, officiated by Nathan Adels, with refreshments and fellowship afterward. Inurnment will follow at a later date.
Donna Jean Heald was born on December 14, 1945, in Lusk, WY, to David and Jeanette (Lehman) Armstrong. Donna grew up in Lance Creek, WY. In 1961, she and her family moved to Gillette. She graduated from Campbell County High School in 1964. Donna attended Casper College for two years before returning to Gillette. On September 5, 1967, she married Chuck Heald, and they made their home on the Heald Family Ranch, east of Weston, WY. They were blessed with two children, Bobbi Jo and A.C. Donna passed away on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at Willow Creek Assisted Living with her son, daughter-in-law, and beloved dog, Koda, by her side.
Donna was a bus driver for Campbell County School District and retired in 2015 after 39 years of service. She loved driving the rural route and loved all the kids who rode her bus over the years. If they had a good week, she would buy full-size candy bars to pass out on Fridays. She worked as a cashier at Wal-Mart between her morning and afternoon routes. She also enjoyed working summers at the Wyoming State Fair and Cheyenne Frontier Days for Black Diamond Security.
Donna enjoyed crafting, and one of the crafts she will be remembered for is the annual Christmas pins that she and Bobbi made for the staff at Rozet Elementary School. Donna also enjoyed sewing and could sew or mend anything. Above all, she loved to crochet. Over the years, she made afghans for the graduating students who rode her bus. She crocheted washcloths, doilies, crosses, lovies for babies, ducks that poop jellybeans, Christmas stockings, baby blankets, and birthday and wedding afghans. You name it, she could crochet it. She enjoyed going into town on Saturdays to “stitch and bitch” with her friends and co-workers.
Donna enjoyed baking, and some of her specialties were homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, lemon poppyseed bread, mincemeat cookies, oatmeal cookies, banana bars with cream cheese frosting, and moon pie, just to name a few.
Donna loved to “gab,” and no one was ever a stranger. She loved photographing sunrises and sunsets. Looking at the clouds to find shapes was something she carried over from childhood when she and her mother would do it together at nap time. During the winter, she loved putting puzzles together; the more pieces it had, the better she liked it. She enjoyed her fishing trips to the Big Horn Mountains with her friend Judy, and they would always cook their catch-of-the-day on a campfire before returning home. When she lived at Primrose Assisted Living, she loved riding her scooter and taking her dog, Koda, for long walks. More than once, due to a walk gone too long and a dead battery, she would need a push home. She loved spending time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Donna is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, A.C. and Amy Heald, Rozet, WY; two grandchildren and their spouses, Ryan and Ashley Jackson and Staci and Dustin Cooper; and two great-grandchildren, Karter Baker and Kaysen Cooper, all from Gillette, WY; her beloved dog Koda; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; and sister Debra Shaw, Gillette, WY.
Donna is preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, Chuck; her daughter, Bobbi Jo; her parents; her twin brother, David Armstrong; her sister, Denise Schuster; her brother-in-law, Robert Heald; sister-in-law, Mary Leberknight; and nephews, Robbie and James Heald.
You may sign her online guestbook at blackhillsfuneralhome.com.
