Donna Marie Vandevoorde

IRON BELT, Wis. - Donna Marie Vandevoorde, 79, of McKinnon Road, Iron Belt, died peacefully Saturday, June 28, 2014, at home, with her loving family by her side, following a courageous battle with kidney disease.

The former Donna Lauzon was born April 18, 1935, in Ironwood, Mich., daughter of the late Willard Lauzon and Mabel Lauzon Swanson, and attended Ironwood schools.

She married the love of her life, Jack Vandevoorde, on April 17, 1952, in Carlton, Minn. They were married for 62 years.

Donna was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her favorite times were spent sitting on the deck overlooking her pond with her dog Brooke. Her homemade bread was a family favorite and any extra slices were quickly snatched. She was known for her love of all things sweet and was always presented the first piece of cake at all family get-togethers. An avid Minnesota Vikings fan, Donna and her son, Jeff, who is a big Green Bay Packers fan, would have a standing $5.00 bet on the outcome of the game whenever the two teams would play each other.

Surviving are her husband, Jack, of 62 years; two sons, Jeff (Debbie), Kimball, and Rick (Maggie), Ashland; two daughters, Michelle Vandevoorde, Vadnais Heights, Minn., and Lisa Vandevoorde, Circle Pines, Minn .; five grandchildren, Amy (Ken) Saari, Hurley, Sara (Justin) Reid, Hermantown, Minn., Amanda (Brian) Wilmot, Ladysmith, Jessica (Brad) Campbell, Ashland, and Abby Vandevoorde (Gavin Neibauer), Superior; seven great-grandchildren, Connor Saari, Gavin and Paige Reid, Hailey and Kayla Wilmot and Cole and Mason Campbell; two sisters, Gladys (Steve) Romanowski, Bethlehem, Ga., and Shirley (John) King, Seattle ,; sisters- and brother-in-law, Jean "Lolly" Vandevoorde and Jean and Frank Grasso, all of Pence; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, Donna was predeceased by a sister, Mary Catherine Stone; her stepfather, Herb Swanson; mother- and father-in-law, Godlieve and Raymond Vandevoorde; sister- and brother-in-law, Clara and Marco Gotta; and brother-in-law, Lawrence "Patcha" Vandevoorde.

Out of respect for her wishes, cremation has taken place.

Memorial services will be held Wednesday, July 2, at 5 p.m., preceded by visitation beginning at 3:30 p.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. Robb Jurkovich, pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church in Ironwood, officiating.

A reception will follow at the Iron Belt Community Center.

Rite of Committal and interment will be in Hillside Cemetery, Iron Belt, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the HOPE Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 261, Ironwood MI 49938, or Regional Hospice, 100 S. Mill St., Bessemer MI 49911.

To view Donna's obituary online, sign her guestbook or offer condolences, please visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.

The family would like to give thanks to the staff at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley for their kind and caring ways. A special thank you also to Frank and Jean Grasso for their faithful friendship and loving care and to granddaughter, Amy Saari, for her Tuesdays' and Thursdays' "Lunch and Learns;" we will be forever grateful.