Donna was born on April 25, 1948, in Traverse City, Michigan. She was the second daughter of Daisy Faye and Milo George Dinsmore.

Donna faced many challenges in life beginning with polio mellitus at two years of age. Always a fighter, she succeeded in overcoming many of the challenges that this disease caused for her.

She graduated from Northport High School as salutatorian in 1966. Not content to stop there, she matriculated to Michigan State University enrolling in Justin Morrill College. She chose to study French, English, and English literature while also securing a teaching certificate. She graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree. Still not content to stop, she enrolled in the MSU Graduate School’s Department of Education, graduating with a master’s degree as a reading specialist.

On March 16, 1968, she married her lifelong partner and the father of her son Aaron Leroy, daughter Trine Elizabeth and son Nathan Lyle.

Unwaveringly dedicated, she only worked when her duty to family would not be affected. She was heavily invested in the family cherry farm. She operated the cherry harvester until her eldest son was able to. Donna accomplished this despite the physical limitations that polio imposed on her. Additionally, she was a nurse’s aide for Leelanau Memorial Hospital as well as a dental assistant to Dr. Search.

Educating children was her first calling. The opportunity to teach at Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s School came in August 1986. The choice to take up this profession was easy for her to make. She worked her way upward as a teacher and librarian until the opportunity to become school counselor presented itself. She enrolled in a postgraduate program at Central Michigan University leading to a certificate that qualified her to practice as a counselor.

Died August 9, 2025

Her pride became oriented towards her students’ success and their ability to achieve higher than expected goals. Her final achievement as a counselor was setting up St. Mary’s to be an authorized testing site for college applicants. This enabled St. Mary’s and other Leelanau County students to take the SAT exam at a close location. She was very pleased to train and coach her successors in this activity.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Daisy Faye and Milo George Dinsmore, sister Suzanne (Edward Potoczak), three first cousins and one niece.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years Albert, son Aaron (Janice), daughter Trine and son Nathan (Kristina); step grandchildren Nathan, Meghan and step great grandchild Haley Nemec; grandchildren Hannah, Alexander and Lucille; nieces Martha and Patricia, and nephew Steven. Additionally, 25 first cousins remain with us.

Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church PO Box 189 Suttons Bay, MI 49682 or the Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s School Library PO Box 340 Lake Leelanau, MI 49653.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 21st at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay. Visitation will also be held on Friday, August 22nd from 2 to 4 p.m. and then from 6 to 8 p.m. with a sharing of memories at 7 p.m. also at the funeral home.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 23rd at the First Lutheran Church of Suttons Bay with the family greeting friends at 10 a.m. A procession to and burial in Leelanau Township Cemetery will follow. Pastor Colin Anderson will officiate. A luncheon will take place after the burial at First Lutheran for the bereaved to celebrate Donna’s accomplished life.

Please share condolences and memories with Donna’s family at www.martinson.info. Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.