Donna Fremouw

Donna M. Fremouw, age 82, of Albert Lea, died Saturday, September 1, 2012 at the Albert Lea Medical Center following an extended illness.    Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the American Legion Post 43 (112 5th St. N.E.) in Faribault. Interment will be held at the Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault.            Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory on Tuesday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and for one hour prior to services at the Legion on Wednesday.    Donna Mae Christie, the daughter of Henry and Helga (Moe) Christie, was born on October 7, 1929 in Emerald, Wisconsin and attended Menomonie Agricultural School. On July 23, 1949, Donna was united in marriage to Eugene Fremouw of Northfield and was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany where Donna was involved with the transportation division for the Department of the Army. While in Germany, Donna and Gene adopted two children, Dijon in 1957 and Lance in 1963. After Gene's retirement from the army, he and Donna were professional photographers. She enjoyed taking photos, developing the film and converting the old black and white photos into color paintings. They bought a studio in 1969 in Wabasha and continued to live there for the next twelve years. From there they moved to Faribault and Donna began working at the Rice County Court House in the extension office and also in nursing services. She also worked at WalMart for a few years until she and Gene later decided to move to Albert Lea in 2009. Donna opened her home to anyone who needed a place to stay, a lifestyle that first began in Germany. While in Faribault she became a licensed foster care provider and had the privilege of raising over thirty teenage boys and one girl. Since Gene and Donna were the only caring parents these children had, most of the boys have remained in contact with them over the years.  Donna was selected to be a Rice County Unsung Hero recipient.     She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Eugene of Albert Lea; her children, Lance Fremouw of Albert Lea, Dijon (special friend Ken) O'Brien of Faribault and Robert Holt of Prescott, WI; her five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren; her brother, Howard (Marian) Christie of Hastings; her thirty two foster children and their families and by many other relatives and friends.    She was preceded in death by her parents and by her son in law, Jay O'Brien.