Donna B. Lehto, 83, St. Cloud

October 26, 1931 - November 1, 2014

A celebration of the life of Donna B. Lehto will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the Daniel Funeral Home Chapel in Clearwater. Donna passed peacefully at home with family members by her side.

Friends may call after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Funeral Home in Clearwater.

Donna was born and raised in Crosby, Minnesota, to Oliver and Geraldine (Worrell) Knudson. She attended junior college and worked as a reporter for the Mesabi Daily News in Virginia. Later, she worked as a Nurses Aide at the Elbow Lake Hospital and the nursing home in Evansville.

A free spirit who loved the outdoors, she was an avid horsewoman and a lover and defender of all creatures, great and small.

Donna married Dennis I. Lehto on Dec. 29, 1951, in Eveleth. They lived in Evansville for 22 years and then moved to Clearwater, where he taught Adult Vocational Agriculture at St. Cloud Area Vocational Technical Institute.

Survivors include children Gail Knudtson of Holt, Michigan; Dana and his wife Molinda of St. Cloud, and Melissa and husband Ralph Halvorson of Lakeville; seven grandchildren - Joren (John) Fabiano, Kris Knudtson, Lexi, Logan & Chad Halvorson, Sarah Lehto, and Candi (Bill) Quallie; six great-grandchildren – Aubrey, Dominic, Richard, Savana, Dacotah and Lincoln; and nephew Steve Knudson and his wife Jane of Brookings, Oregon.

She also leaves in the family’s care her beloved dogs, Ivory and Diva.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a charitable donation in Donna’s name may visit the Alzheimer’s Association/Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter at alz.org/donate (800.272.3900) or St. Cloud Hospital Hospice at centracare.com/foundation (320-257-0699).