BERTELSON, Donna Mae (nee Tefft)(Head) 1928-2011

BERTELSON, TEFFT, CARTER, HEAD

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/7/2011 at 11:47:54

Donna Mae (Tefft) Bertelson

OSAGE, IOWA - Donna Mae (Tefft) Bertelson, 82, of Osage, and formerly of Charles City, passed away peacefully at the Osage Rehabilitation and Care Center on Friday, February 4, 2011, following recent heart complications.

Donna was born on February 26, 1928, in Mason City, to Bernie and Marvel (Carter) Tefft of rural Nashua. She attended grade school in a one-room country schoolhouse. An only child, Donna enjoyed spending time especially with her dad, and loved working outside with the animals and driving the tractor. Donna spent many hours writing poetry and loved music. She played the coronet in Nashua's high school marching band. Donna had a beautiful voice; singing in concert choir, participating in vocal music contests, and was often the lead in school plays and musicals.

She was a featured soloist when the high school band made a professional studio recording. A pianist from Chicago once invited her to come and perform in clubs with her, but Donna and her folks thought the windy city seemed much too far away from small-town Iowa. In 1946, she graduated Nashua High School in a class of 46, receiving the big silver extra-curricular activity cup award. One of Donna's favorite memories was of her father surprising her after school one day in a new Model-A coupe!

After graduating Gates College in Waterloo, she worked at the unemployment office in Charles City until marrying LeRoy Head in 1947 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.

In 1949, they welcomed their first daughter Barbara and six years later, a second daughter, Debra, was born. Following Donna's father's untimely death, the couple moved to her family's farm west of Nashua. When her daughters began playing organ and piano in the Methodist church, Donna got back to singing in the church choir and for weddings and funerals. Their third daughter, Linda Sue, was born in 1970.

At the end of her 25-year marriage to LeRoy, Donna went on to attend Hamilton Business College in Mason City.

On March 4, 1974, Donna Mae Head married Robert "Shorty" Bertelson in their home in Charles City. In the '70s and '80s, Donna ran a successful Avon business receiving numerous awards for top sales. Donna and her dear friend Sally (McGilligan) Lehman also had a painting and wallpapering business for several years together. The Bertelsons owned "Shorty's Locksmith," serving the Charles City area for over 25 years where Donna was the bookkeeper; however in later years, Shorty taught her how to unlock vehicles as well.

Some of Donna's hobbies included painting/refurbishing items to look new, crocheting/embroidering, going to rummage sales, dancing/listening to country music, working outside, baking, and spending time with family and friends. She loved the many trips the family took to Nashville, Tennessee. She always welcomed all into their home with a big smile, coffee, and homemade cookies. Donna and Shorty were married nearly 36 years until his passing in February 2010.

Since 2008, Donna had lived in Osage at 820 Ash Street with her daughter Linda and their cat Mr. Bentley, where she baked pies weekly and simply enjoyed retirement. Donna will forever be in the hearts of those whose lives she touched so dearly.

Left to mourn her passing are three daughters, Linda Sue Baker, Osage, Debra (Tom) Clark, Osage, and Barbara Garbes, Clear Lake; three grandchildren, Adam (Nicole) Clark, Dustin (Whitney Chambers) Clark of Osage, and Tracie Garbes, Clear Lake; and one great-grandchild Hank Clark of Osage. She is survived by three step-children, Connie Loesch (special friend Korri Savoy), Stewartville, Minn., Jean Adams, Fairmont, Minn., and Victor Bertelson, Norfolk, Va.; Nine step-grandchildren, and five step-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

[ Globe Gazette online, February 7, 2011 ]