Donabelle Sarah "Donna" (Mackey) Wendzillo, 1926 - 2005

MACKEY, WENDZILLO, YOUKER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/16/2019 at 20:59:46

Sioux City Journal
13 October 2005

Donabelle Sarah "Donna" (Mackey) Wendzillo, 79, of Sioux City died unexpectedly Monday, Oct. 10, 2005, at a Sioux City hospital following a brief illness.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, with the Rev. Martha Anderson officiating. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.

Donna was born Oct. 5, 1926, to Frank and Alice (Youker) Mackey, in Niobrara, Neb. She lived in Omaha and Sioux City the rest of her life.

She married Tony Wendzillo in Sioux City, on May 20, 1946. He passed away Jan. 5, 1978. She enjoyed being a homemaker and mother. She worked at Zenith in Sioux City. She received her general education diploma in 1970. After Zenith closed, she went back to school and received secretarial, mechanical and cake decorating certificates.

She was currently an executive member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska tribal council and had served for more than 10 years. She was on the original Ponca Restoration committee and was instrumental in restoring the Ponca Bison herd through her involvement with the Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative. Her efforts led to the opening of the Tribal Museum in 1999, as well as the completed restoration of the Ponca Community Building. In 2002, the building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. She was a former member and treasurer of the Northern Ponca Housing Authority as well.

She was very active in her church, serving on several committees and was a former United Methodist Women president. She was a member of Rustin Avenue United Methodist Church. She also was a member of the Women of the Moose.

She enjoyed her large family. Among her many interests and hobbies were traveling, cooking, crocheting, sewing, playing cards and eating out. She was an avid Chicago Cubs fan and went to many games. She was cared for in her last years by her daughter, Cyndi Lingebach, and a grandson, Anthony King.

She is survived by six daughters, Patricia Eichberger of Norfolk, Neb., Linda and her husband, Al Lover of Durand, Mich., Toni "JoAn" and her husband, Bob Ehlers, Sandra and her husband, Pat Lamoureux, Cynthia Lingebach and Victoria and her husband, Larry Deming, all of Sioux City; a son and his wife, Phillip and Mary Wendzillo of Crofton, Neb.; 20 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a brother, Leonard Mackey; half brothers, Pete and Harry Mackey; sons-in-law, Marvin Eichberger and Steve Lingebach; and four grandchildren, Jason, Jerri, Toni Jo and Jared.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Anthony King, Patrick Lamoureux, Ryan Friend, Aaron, Adam and Damon Deming. Honorary pallbearers will be her sons-in-law and a grandson, Ryan Deming.

She is loved and will be dearly missed by all of her family and friends.