Donna Marie Wishard – June 6th, 1932 – May 28, 2023

Donna Marie Wishard passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving family on May 28th, 2023 at the age of 90. She loved Jesus and is now in Heaven with Him and her beloved husband, Bill Wishard.

Donna was born on June 6th, 1932 in Lamar, Colorado to Oscar and Grace (Morrison) Hasser. She grew up on Handsprings Ranch south of Hasty, Colorado and was an amazing horsewoman. She attended elementary school in a one room rock schoolhouse where she was the only girl and her mother Grace Hasser was the teacher. In 1950 she graduated high school from St. Scholastica Academy in Canon City, CO and went on to college at Lorreto Heights in Denver where, on a blind date she met Bill Wishard and they were married on August 16th, 1952. They were married for nearly 68 years, until Bill’s passing in July of 2020. From this union four daughters were born, Vicky (David) Barber, Debbie (Raybon) Steed, Teresa (Derrell) Stimpson, and Lisa (Mike) Steed. She was an amazing person, had a sincere depth that few people knew because she was humble and unassuming. She was a loyal friend, a devoted wife and mother. She was unfaltering in her love for family and her love for God. She not only taught us about Jesus and who He is, but she lived out her life as an example of Him.

She held teaching sessions with grandchildren teaching them poems, songs and the “golden rule”, and she had a special relationship with each one of them. She could have chosen any career that she wanted and been good at it, but she chose to be a loving caregiver to her ever-growing family and she gave us all her whole heart and we will be forever grateful. She spent a lifetime pouring out love and energy into her family and with this love she painted a masterpiece. She had an incredible ability to forgive, she never held a grudge against anyone. She had an uncanny ability to only see the good in all people. She loved writing cards always with the motivations to make someone feel special. She never forgot anyone’s birthday. She often pulled hurting people aside to show them great acts of kindness, gave them words of encouragement and her prayers.

She was never comfortable with praise and honor and was always touched by it when it was given to her. She was called “the heart of our home” by our dad, because she embodied the essence of the word LOVE. She taught us how to ride horses and set off on adventures on the prairie, laugh at ourselves, take care of each other. She loved hard and fought hard. She was a prayer warrior and taught us the meaning of HOPE.  She didn’t criticize us, she believed the best in us, and taught us by her example tonever give up when we felt defeated. What she gave us cannot be squandered, ruined or destroyed, it is permanent and keeps her from becoming just a wonderful memory.

Thank you, Mom, Grandma, for the time you took to teach us how to love, how to be devoted to family, how to make the world a better place, and that Jesus makes all things new.

Donna is preceded in death by her husband Bill, and her parents Oscar and Grace Hasser. She is survived by her four daughters, their husbands, 14 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 16 great great-grandchildren, her brother Marvin (Karen) Hasser as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

A celebration of life honoring her was held at 11:00am on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the Barber Ranch and interment at HWB Cemetery.