Donna Verle Birnie

With sadness, the family of Donna Verle Birnie of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba announce her passing on Thursday, September 22,2022 at the age of 82 years.

Memorial service will be held for Donna on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 2:00 pm from Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin, MB with Rev. Karen Kuzek officiatiing.  

The service will be live streamed for those unable to attend. Click on the link below.

Should friends so desire, donations in memory of Donna may be made to Eldon Cemetery or The Oksana and Quinn Dutchyshen Memorial Fund c/o Gilbert Plains Community Fund, Box 321, Gilbert Plains, MB.  

Obituary

In the early morning hours of September 22, 2022 Mom passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family.  Mom was a very quiet person who loved her family unconditionally.  She was a wonderful mom, grandma, great grandma, sister, aunt and daughter.  But especially a great wife to dad.  They are together once again, as dad passed away 3 years ago.

Donna Gallant was born February 27th, 1940 to her parents Joe & Alma Gallant.  She was a loving sister to her brother Wayne and sister Lori.  Donna graduated from Brickburn Collegiate and then continued her education at Little's Business College in Dauphin.  She then moved to Winnipeg and started working at Massey Fergusson, from there she moved to Toronto to work at Massey Fergusson's head office. While there she lived with her aunt and uncle.  After a few years there, the call of the prairies called her back. I'm thinking meeting Dad was a contributing factor.  When Mom moved back she worked at CIBC in Gilbert Plains.

Mom & Dad were married November 18, 1967 in Gilbert Plains.  Mom turned from a town girl to a farm girl real fast.  While on the Little Vista School homestead they welcomed 3 kids, Stacey, Sharon & Scott.  Mom threw herself into the country life full force.  She grew a big garden, canned, looked after pigs, pulled calves and was a wonderful stay at home mom.  Any task that would come up Mom could handle it. She was the main combine driver at harvest, tractor driver in the spring and kept the farm books.

Donna curled and volunteered at the Ashville curling rink and hall, St. Paul's United Church and the countless activities that us kids were involved in.  If we wanted to do something, Mom would make it happen.

When Scott started kindergarten, Mom started working every Wednesday at the Dauphin Auction Mart at the lunch counter.  Both her and Dad met and worked with lots of wonderful people there.

Perhaps Mom was best known for her award winning baking.  Our school lunches had the best goodies, such as butter tarts and chocolate cake.  She was also a wonderful cook that would host every family gathering. No one went away hungry.

Any one that knew Mom, knew she had the best funny sayings and sense of humor.  In fact my kids have lists of all her sayings, and they use them all the time.  She was a true and loyal friends to everyone that she knew and loved.  She loved to read and drink coffee.

In 1990 at the age of 50 Donna went back to school to get her Health Care Aide certificate, following that she worked at St. Paul's Care Home, usually the 6:00 am shift, until her retirement.  We've heard wonderful stories of her years there.

In retirement, Mom and Dad moved into their house in Gilbert Plains.   They volunteered at the drop in centre and still enjoyed doing what they loved to do, such as quadding and travelling to warm climates.  The last few years Mom was Dad's devoted care giver which was not easy.  Mom was the one that stayed in the shadows while Dad was the one our front.  They balanced each other perfectly.

Mom was predeceased by her husband Stewart; parents Joe & Alma Gallant; in-laws Les & Auleen Birnie; granddaughter Kelsey Dykun; brother Wayne Gallant; niece Jennifer Gallant.
She is survived by her children, Stacey (David) Dykun, Sharon (Bert) Seguin & Scott Birnie; grandchildren Jordan (Stephanie), Alexa (Daan), Dylan (Kristen), Tori (Dalton) & Paige; great grandchildren, Jake Dykun, Heidi Corne and baby Dykun due in April; sister Lori (Neil) Hockridge- nephews Jeff & Josh, niece Kerri & families; sister-in-law Sharon Gallant- nieces Kathleen & Elizabeth, nephews Nick, Stephen, Matthew & Jon and families.

Donna & Stew are once again together.  Rest in Peace.

The family would like to thank all the people that helped mom stay in her apartment as long as possible.  Thank you also to the wonderful staff at the Grandview PCH for your loving care.  Thank you also to Dr. Sandra Clark and the doctors and staff at Dauphin Regional Health Centre.  To everyone that sent cards, food, donations to Mom's chosen charities, thank you.  We are so blessed to live in such a caring community.  Stacey, Sharon, Scott & families.

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