TWIN LAKES - Donna Ukena 74, passed away of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 at their home at Twin Lakes. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Rockwell City, with the Rev. James Hoover Mossman and the Rev. Dr. Arlo Duba officiating. Following the funeral service, her wishes were to be cremated. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Palmer & Swank Funeral Home, Rockwell City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to the Rockwell City Public Library or to the Stewart Memorial Community Hospice. There will be luncheon following the funeral service at the Rockwell City Public Library & Community Center.
Donna is survived by her husband B.J. Ukena; son Barry (Cathy) Ukena and their daughters, Ashley and Rachel of Topeka, KS; daughter Debra (Scott) Jaspers and their children, Ginger Swensen, Jacob (Kristin) Van Gorp , and Lance Jaspers of Des Moines area; Leslie Ukena and her son Matthew Mlenar of Eyota, MN; and son Larry (Teresa) Ukena who lives next door to them with their daughters, Jordan, Megan, and Lauren; her siblings, Doreen (Arlo) Duba of Princeton, NJ, Mary (Leland) Meyer of Aplington, and Milo (Sandra) Eckles of Parker, CO; and many nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon Bruce and Dorothy Pauline Allen Eckles, and an infant son.
Donna Belle Eckles Ukena was born March 1, 1934 at Aplington, Iowa. She graduated from Aplington High School, and the University of Dubuque. She also graduated from Chicago's Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. Donna married her college sweetheart, B.J. Ukena in 1956 at Aplington. While B.J. completed his education, they lived in Chicago where Donna taught pediatrics at her alma mater. During their 52 years together, they served Iowa Presbyterian Churches in Greenfield, Ankeny, Des Moines, Independence, and Cedar Rapids. For 16 years, Donna was a nurse at the Ankeny Medical Clinic. While at Independence, she worked at the county hospital and nursing home before spending 10 years as the Independence/Rowley Schools Nurse. In 1997, the couple retired to their home at Twin Lakes.
Donna was a member and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church, Rockwell City, a member of the P.E.O., the Rockwell City Study Club, and served in many capacities in the Churches they had served. She frequently volunteered her services to Church Camps including the Twin Lakes Christian Center.
