Donna was born on the family farm near Otis, Colo., to Mary Louise (Newcomb) and William Gielenz on New Year’s Eve, 1930.
She was the youngest of six children (four sisters, one brother). The family worked the farm through the Depression, and the Gielenz sisters were a highly sought-after wheat harvest crew during World War II, when the men were gone.
Donna graduated as salutatorian from Lone Star High School in 1948. She was active…