Donna Nokes

Donna Nokes, 57, of Fergus Falls , died Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at her home.

Donna C. Peterson was born at the family home in Evansville during a blizzard on March 10, 1953, to Donald and Mildred (Lander) Peterson. The Peterson family would include four brothers, Maynard, Rick, Harold, and Jimmy, and one sister, Paula Jean. Donna graduated from Brandon High School in 1971, where she was Valedictorian of her class. On September 4, 1971, she was married to Leslie Nokes, and the couple had three children, Neil, Tina, and Lynn.

Donna was always a worker for Jesus and was a true servant in her church, where she taught midweek, cleaned the bathrooms, cooked at Bible camp for 200-300 kids, and taught classes, as well. She has been the church secretary at Hilltop Celebration Church and recently completed her associate degree in Christ Ministry at Hilltop Seminary. Donna loved to sing and sang with the praise and worship team at church for many years.

She enjoyed her home ministry so much, Healing Hands Massage, and would pray for her clients as she massaged. She was also involved with, “ Reading for the Blind,” a program that reads the newspapers over the radio for people who are blind.

Donna enjoyed cooking, and her homemade bread was her specialty. She lived around her grandchildren and loved to sing and cuddle with them. She loved to wake up in the morning and find a stray grandchild snuggled at her side.

Donna is survived by her children Neil (Beth) Nokes and Lynn (Jessica) Nokes, both of Fergus Falls, and Tina (Mike) Funkhouser of Tulsa, Oklahoma; grandchildren Ali, Isaac, and Ethan Nokes, Hailey and Sydney Funkhouser, and Rebeccah, Jacob, Seth, and Eli Nokes. Other survivors include her siblings Maynard (Dorothy) Peterson of Wichita, Kansas, Rick Peterson of Garfield, Harold (Trudy) Peterson of Brandon, and Paula (Kenneth) Sanstead of Hoffman, and several nieces and nephews, aunts and uncle Adeline Peterson of Alexandria, Millie (Lloyd) Floding of Alexandria, Leila Hanson of Brandon. She was preceded in death by her parents Donald and Mildred Peterson, and her brother Jimmy Peterson.

Visitation: Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church

Service: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20, at Hilltop Celebration Church , Fergus Falls

Clergy: Rev. Dan Mueller

Burial: Moe Heights Cemetery , Brandon

Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls .

Condolences to: www.GlendeNilson.com