Jun. 26, 1944 - May 4, 2024
Date of Service: Jun. 26, 2024
Service Program
PAUL – On Saturday, May 4, 2024, Donna Jean Fessenden of Paul, Idaho, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away at her daughter's home in Nampa, Idaho.
Donna, the second of eight children, was born June 26, 1944, in Bryan, Texas, to Phillip "Wayne" Reeves and Hazel Bess Merritt Reeves. In April of 1954, the family relocated to Idaho as one of the first Minidoka County homesteaders.
In 1967, Donna married Wendel Dean. They farmed north of Minidoka and raised a wonderful family of four children. The marriage ended in 1979 following an unexpected family tragedy.
In 1980, Donna married the love of her life, Gary Fessenden. They moved to Tucson, Arizona, where Donna attended the University of Arizona. She graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting. In 1998, Donna and Gary returned to Paul where they would spend the rest of their 45 years together.
Donna enjoyed playing the piano, gardening, sewing, quilting and canning, but her happiest moments were spent with her children, her grandsons and her great-grandsons.
Donna was preceded in death by her son, Phillip Russel "Rusty" Dean; parents, Hazel Reeves and Phillip "Wayne" Reeves; siblings, Phillip Reeves, Mike Nix, and Tammie Walls.
Donna is survived by her husband, Gary Fessenden; children, Melani Edwards (Richard) of Casa Grande, Arizona, Michael Dean (Becky) of Jerome, and Wendy Kerfoot (Kevin) of Nampa; grandsons, Gabrial Donaldson (Chanelle) of Star, and Derrik (Rachel) Simerlink of Caldwell; a sister, Brenda Adams of Heyburn; and her brothers, Karis Reeves of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tommie Reeves and Mark Reeves of Rupert.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Horizon Home Health & Hospice of Twin Falls and Caldwell.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 26, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Pastor Dusty Adams officiating. A private burial will be at Paul Cemetery.
