Donnis Thompson, 88, of Mabel, died Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at Green Lea Senior Living in Mabel.
Donnis was born September 2, 1934, on her grandparents’ farm in Amherst Township in Fillmore County, Minn., to Ralph and Evelyn (Pederson) Gleisner. As Donnis was growing up, the family lived in the Plainview, Spring Valley, and Harmony areas. She graduated from the Harmony High School in 1952 and attended the Kahler School of Nursing. Donnis married Donald Thompson on September 4, 1953, at the Greenfield Lutheran Church. They lived in Minneapolis for a short time, where she worked in the record office at the U of M Hospital. They then moved to the Mabel area where Donnis helped Donald farm for over 35 years. In 1978 they moved into Mabel. Donnis had managed the Shoe String Shoe Store in Mabel for 14 years, which was the last shoe store in Fillmore County.
Donnis had been a leader for the Mabel Girl Scouts and was on the River Trails Girl Scout Council committee responsible for building the Whispering Hills Girl Scout Camp. Donnis won the contest naming the camp. She was a member of the Scheie Lutheran Church and Naomi Circle, Mabel Legion Auxiliary, and enjoyed her grandchildren, knitting, and traveling, as she had been to 12 foreign countries, 44 states, and three World’s Fairs.
Donnis is survived by her daughter Robin (Craig) Arneson of Lakeville, Minn., two grandchildren, Christopher (Jessica) Arneson of Elko New Market, and Jenifer (Jason Warner) Arneson of Lakeville; three great-grandchildren: Morgan (Bayleigh Buss) Spencer of Savage, Alexa Arneson of Lakeville, and William Arneson of Elko New Market; three sisters: LeEtta (Rollie) Oelschlager of Puyallup, Wash., Dwaylla (Harlan) Schmidt of Wykoff, and Lantha (Joe) Stevens of Harmony; three sisters-in-law: Diana Eickhoff of Fountain, Patti Snell of Mabel, and Sharon (Bob) Pederson of Mabel; two brothers-in-law, Steve Thompson of Dodge Center and Rodney (Carol) Thompson of Mabel; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Donald, parents Ralph and Evelyn Gleisner, parents-in-law Larney and Eldora Thompson, sisters-in-law Carmona Sauer, Eloise Bergey, and Marjorie Nordhorn; and brothers-in-law Eldon Thompson, Paul Thompson, and Richard Thompson.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel. Burial will be at a later date in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Visitation will be hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Mabel Public Library or the Scheie WELCA.