Donna Marie (Epard) Schwindt was born June 19, 1931, in Colby, to Arthur Hunter and Mable Ruth (Strait) Epard and departed this earth on Jan. 16, 2024, at the age of 92.
She was baptized in the Methodist Church in Brewster and was placed on their Cradle Role. Donna later attended the College Drive Assembly of God Church in Colby.
After the Colby Swimming Pool was built, she worked in the bathhouse as a basket girl, learned to swim, took Red Cross lessons and was a Red Cross instructor teaching at the pool for several years. She became a lifeguard and helped with swimming lessons for young beginners.
She was active in 4-H and was one of the charter members of the Wise Owls 4-H Club in the Mingo, Kan., area. During her 4-H days, she was in a play called “Buddy Buys an Orchard." The play won first place in the county contest and was invited to go to the 4-H Round-up in Manhattan, Kan., and to several club meetings around Colby. While in 4-H she became a Junior Leader and also helped with swimming lessons at several 4-H camps in Kansas and Colorado.
Donna attended Colby Junior High and High School. She was president of the Colby Junior High School Band and later vice-president of the high school band. She was also in the junior high play. Among other activities she enjoyed showing her horse in local horse shows.
Donna married John Victor Donn on May 11, 1951, in Colby. Born to this union were James Ike Donn and Roy Eugene Donn. The family was active in raising and showing Quarter horses. Donna spent several years hauling her sons to Quarter Horse Shows in Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and to several state fairs and local horse shows. She was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and the Kansas Quarter Horse Association. Donna was Kansas Quarter Horse awards points secretary for the Kansas Quarter Horse Association, and several years served as secretary for the Kansas Quarter Horse Show at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. She also helped with the shows at the Thomas County Fair in Colby.
Donna worked as a dental assistant in Colby for several years. She also enjoyed bowling, belonging to league teams from 1955 to 1973 in Colby and four years in Grayland, Wash.. She made clothes for herself and special things for her family. She did knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and quilting. She also loved to read and do coloring books. Donna was still doing hobbies until just before her death.
On Dec. 14, 1973, she married Jack Alvin Calliham in Colby, then moved to Los Angeles. A great achievement in her life was learning to drive a semi-truck and she traveled all over the United States driving for Hale Distributing of Los Angeles, Digby and Laprino Foods, of Denver, Prime of Springfield, Mo., and Tom Hurtt of Colby.
After moving back to Colby, she earned her GED at Colby Community College. The Colby High School class of 1951 includes her in their reunions. One of Donna’s pastimes was going to singles dances with several of her friends. She started working for Kenneth Frahm in 1991 driving his semi, hauling wheat and corn during harvest seasons, also going to feedlots in Kansas. While working for Kenneth she met and married Robert Lee Schwindt on March 18, 1994, in Colby and they made their home in Colby.
She helped raise his two children, Jason Lee and Jennifer Lynn. At that time, she also worked for Truck Town (Kirk and Holly Young) bringing in trucks for resale and picking up grain trailers and delivering them.
Donna enjoyed driving in the World’s Biggest Truck Convoy, which benefits the Special Olympics. Kenneth Frahm sponsored her and furnished her with a truck and trailer to drive in the Convoy. Her passenger was Karlin Frahm, son of Bruce and Janice Frahm. When Kenneth Frahm retired from farming, Truck Town sponsored her for the Special Olympics. She also had a Special Olympian ride with her. She received the 2015 Special Olympic West Region outstanding event volunteer of the year award in January 2016.
She was a proud survivor of colon cancer and lung surgery thanking God for His healing. There were very special feelings for friends and people who had cancer, and she hoped she was an inspiration for those that followed her.
After driving the semi-truck for 49 years, she gave up her CDL at the age of 88 and got a chauffeur license, which let her drive a farm truck.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Arthur Epard in 1969 and Mable Epard in 1980; brothers, John Gerald Epard at birth in 1940 and George Arthur Epard in 1995; sister Eleanor Augusta (Epard) Irons in 2011; granddaughter Ami Nichole Donn in 1993; John Victor Donn, in 2008; Jack Alvin Calliham in 2008 and great-granddaughter Everly Ami Diane Graham in 2017.
Survivors include her husband Bobbie; sons, Roy Eugene Donn and James Ike Donn; stepchildren, Jason (Stacey) Schwindt and Jennifer (TJ) Hepburn; eight grandchildren and step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild; cousin Richard (Neva) Epard and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. The funeral service is at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22 at the College Drive Assembly of God, Colby with inurnment in Beulah Cemetery, Colby.
Memorials may be made to the Northwest Kansas Special Olympics Truck Convoy and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com.