Donna Noha was born in 1936, the fifth of eight children. Her parents attended the Church of Christ, so she wasn't baptized until 1948. She grew up in Ladysmith until she was in 7th grade, when her family moved to Bruce. After graduating in 1954, she worked as a nanny and for a telephone company in Illinois.
She married Bill Schwoch in 1957 while staying with her sister Carol in Montana. After the marriage ended four years and two children later, Donna moved back to Wisconsin to live with her sister Marge and eventually married Marv Noha, her high school sweetheart. By the end of 1967, they had two more children.
She moved to Amery with Marv in 1970. Over the next 35 years, she was an active member of First Lutheran Church and volunteered for 20 years as a coordinator of the local meals on wheels program. She worked at Amery Telecom, but became best known as a cook at the school near her home on Baker Street.
Donna was a devoted friend, mother, and grandmother. She loved making quilts for children. She made at least 40 – maybe even as many as 80 – for her grandchildren and many, many others. She also loved to travel and visited several states, Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark. Those who knew her would say, quite accurately, that she loved her 13 grandchildren more than anything else in the world besides God and church – and the Packers.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, husband Marvin Noha, brothers: Dennis, Robert and Thomas and a great grandson Tristan Schwoch. She is survived by her children: Tracy (Steve) Schulte, Kevin (Lisa) Schwoch, Kirk (Jeni) Noha and Tricia (Mike) Lotti; brother: Charles (Marion) Zehner; sisters: Carol Aitken, Marjorie Newville and Mildred Aken; sister-in-law Betty Zehner She also leaves 13 grandchildren: Brandon (Brittany) Schwoch, Jordon Schwoch and Dylon Schwoch, Anders Schulte, Inge (Mike) Stollings, Kirstin Schulte, Haylie Noha, Jeremy Noha, Fiona Lotti, Jon Lotti, Marcus Lotti, Maria Lotti and Nicola Lotti; four great grandchildren: Sophia Stollings, Liam Stollings, Brian Stollings and Ellie Schwoch; nieces, nephews and many other relatives and friends.
Donna died at the Cerenity Home in St. Paul, Minnesota on July 15, 2011. Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 18 at 11:00 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Amery with burial to follow at the Amery Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home and also for the hour prior to services at the church.