Donna Eileen Turk
April 2, 1933 – April 18, 2025
It is with sadness we announce the peaceful passing of Donna (Seime) Turk at the age of 92 on April 18, 2025.
Donna is lovingly remembered by her children Nola (Bob) Stephens, Allen (Patti) Turk, Scott (Terri) Turk, her brother Stuart Seime, half-sister Wendy (Brenda) McGraw, half-brother Karl Seime, eight grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.
Donna was predeceased by her parents Isaac Seime and Willa Ducommun, husband Jack of 60 years in 2012 and recently her half-sister Doris Baldwin.
Donna was born on April 2nd, 1933 in Dodsland. As a young girl, she attended Jellicoe School and rode a horse to school. She recalled the story of when her horse on the way to grade school suddenly expired in a slough along the way. Not the kind of history that will likely ever repeat itself. She completed her high school in Scott and Kerrobert, being advanced a year and still becoming class valedictorian. She revealed that her first real job was a switchboard operator in Kerrobert a couple of evenings a week during high school. We discovered a group photo where she attended a 1948 Kiwanis farm girls camp in Saskatoon, further evidence of her independence and social nature. She was gifted in music and played piano at a funeral at age 14, the first of too many to count throughout her life. Donna figure skated as a young woman and loved watching coverage of skating whenever it was televised.
In 1952, Donna married Jack Turk. They began mixed farming north of Dodsland with some livestock, but soon focussed on grain only. Nola, Allen and Scott soon took much of Donna’s focus and time. She still found time to pursue artistic endeavours; painting, pottery, sewing, quilting and piano, taking on all with passion. During the CB radio era for communication around the farm, she became known as Momma Bear, of course with Jack known as Pappa Bear, handles that remain to this day. She attended church regularly and could most often be found in the choir or in front of the organ. After the children began to leave home, Donna became involved with the local dinner theatre productions and found perhaps her greatest passion, immersing herself into her characters - their costumes, accents and habits (literally as in the productions of Nunsense).
Jack and Donna caught the travel bug and travelled extensively. Many trips were considered adventurous for the time including mainland China, during a period when tourism wasn’t established. They lived in their camper strapped to a railcar through mountainous Mexico, flew in a small plane over the Nazca lines in Peru, visited the Galapagos islands and had tea with the Queen of Tonga, just to name a few.
Donna lived a full and compassionate life, always kind and gentle. Memories of her will be cherished by family and friends alike.
A Celebration of Life was held Friday, April 25, 2025, 2 p.m. at the Dodsland United Church.
Donations in Donna’s memory can be made to:Kerrobert & District Health Centre - Long Term Care Activity Department; Box 320, Kerrobert, SK S0L 1R0.