Donnis Buchan Obituary

Donnis Mae (Carpenter) Buchan

May 13, 1932 - July 12, 2025

Donnis Mae (Carpenter) Buchan, 93 of La Crescent, Minn., died peacefully at her daughter's home at 2:12 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Donnis was born on Friday the 13th in the month of May 1932. Her parents were Alice (Harris) and Raymond Carpenter. Her father was going to go rattlesnake hunting that morning and her mom said, "I think we should head to the hospital instead." Donnis was born at St. Annes Hospital in La Crosse, Wis. Donnis was raised in Pickwick, Minn., where she attended school until the 8th grade, and finished her schooling at Winona High School. When Donnis was 18, she met her future husband Don, in front of the Merchants Bank in Winona. They married on January 11, 1951 and enjoyed 69 years and one week of marriage before Don passed away on January 19, 2020.

In her younger years she enjoyed ice skating in the winter and swimming in the summer at the Pickwick Pond. She loved roller skating and going to dances in Witoka. She was 14 years old when she went to work for a doctor in Pickwick taking care of their children and house. She also worked at Woolworths and Grants in Winona. She loved that she was a stay-at-home mom, and she could help out as a room mother for six years while her daughters attended Crucifixion School. She was available at a moment's notice to help out and was able to transport the Nuns to their various destinations. She did a lot of baking for school functions, Bingo nights and she especially enjoyed making cookies for Don's Barbershop, so his customers could enjoy one with a cup of coffee. She enjoyed sitting at her kitchen table writing letters and sending cards to friends. She kept many journals over the years, which we are grateful for, as we can read and remember those times.

Donnis and Don enjoyed many trips together with their dear friends Ken and Marie Schultz, who lived in Victor, Iowa. Ken and Don became like brothers when they served in the Army and this love and friendship grew to include their wives. The most memorable trips were to Arizona and Tennessee. All four of them enjoyed country music and loved going to the Grand Ole Opry. They were lifelong friends with Donnis being the last of them to pass. In La Crescent, her best friend became Jean Welch, and they shared many confidences between them. When Jean passed away, Donnis kept her picture on the kitchen counter so every morning she could get up and have a few words and share her thoughts with her deeply missed friend.

Donnis was involved in many things, she bowled in two leagues, Historical Society, life member of Pickwick Mill, as well as Life member of Post 595 Legion Auxiliary (where she was the first person to be presented with the Loving Heart Award by Bev Jardina). Donnis also volunteered at Lutheran Hospital for five years until her help was needed with her granddaughter, Janessa. She belonged to Our Lady of Fatima Circle for the Crucifixion Church, where she was a member. She enjoyed being an election Judge. She was also what her family lovingly referred to as in charge of "FLAG PATROL" where she would make reminder phone calls to people to check their flags that were in need of replacing.

Donnis wished to thank Gundersen for the good care she received over the years and to her special doctors: Duane Undeland, Kurt Mueller and Thomas Londergan. Thank you to American Legion Post 595 and Crucifixion Church for remembering her at Christmas. Thank you to Allan Johnson and Tom Huboff, who she referred to as "my heroes," after finding her in the alley behind her van in July of 2022. This was after she fell and was bleeding at 6 a.m., on a Sunday morning, also to Brent and Claudia Thielen for helping after Don's death.

She is survived by her daughter, Debra Wagner; grandchildren, Jordan and Janessa Wagner, all of La Crescent; granddaughter, Betsy Blank; and great-granddaughter, Autumn Blank of Coon Rapids, Minn.; brother-in-law, Lenny Husser of Minneiska, Minn.; and very special goddaughter, Mary Welch of Chanhassen, Minn.. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; daughter, Beki; her parents, Ray and Alice Carpenter; brother, Bruce Carpenter; sisters, Darlene Benter and Connie Duff; sister-in-law, Marie Husser; brothers-in-law: Dick Buchan, Robert Buchan and Ken Benter, and Joe Duff. Her best friend, Jean Welch and very special friends, Ken and Marie Schultz.

Donnis shared a very special bond with her granddaughter, Janessa, that she couldn't with her other grandchildren, but never loved one more than the other, as she loved them all equally, Donnis came across a special prayer, after reading it, she felt that God brought her and Janessa together.

Pallbearers will be Robb Duff, Allan Brague, Kent Northrup, Marty Welch, Mike Albrecht and Larry Ames.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 18, 2025 at 11 a.m., at Crucifixion Catholic Church, La Crescent. Rev. John L. Evans, II will officiate. Burial will be in the Crucifixion Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crescent on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., and at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. to the time of the services.

In lieu of flowers or plants, Donnis's wish was for her memorials to be given to Crucifixion Church Cemetery, or ABC (La Crescent location). Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.