Donna Jean Brandt Whade, 87
Donna Jean Brandt Whade passed away on June 12, 2016 at the age of 87, in Bemidji, MN, where she had lived for the past three years at Windsong Assisted Living.
She was born at Eitel Hospital, Mpls, MN in 1928. Her parents were Melvin and Margaret Brandt who resided in New Prague, MN from 1923-1924 before moving to Mpls. when the milling company became Minneapolis Milling.
Donna and family moved to St. Peter when she was 9 years of age. She attended John Ireland School and graduated from St. Peter High School in 1946. She worked as a telephone operator and receptionist at Northwestern Bell in St. Peter. It was here she met and married Arvid L. Whade in 1947. They made their home for three years in Olivia, MN, moved to Buffalo Lake, MN in 1950 where Mark, their first child, was born. Then followed three more children, Monica in 1954, Kent in 1958, and Claudia in 1964.
It was 1961 when the Whade family moved to New Prague. In 1972, Donna graduated from the Faribault School of Practical Nursing. She was employed at Queen of Peace Hospital from 1973 until her retirement in 2001.
She is survived by children Mark and Patty (Bisek) Cass Lake, MN, Monica (Whade) Krise, Phoenix, AZ, Simon and Claudia (Whade) Nottingham of Wellington, New Zealand. Three grandchildren, Maria (Whade) Runyan of Hermantown, MN, Matthew Krise of Tempe, AZ, and Gretchen Krise of West Palm Beach, FL. Also two great-grandsons, Caden and Cruz Runyan, as well as relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her son Kent Whade in 1997.
Internment is at St. Henry Parish, Le Center, MN.
