Donna Burke Dalton

Donna Burke Dalton, 84, passed away in peace Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.

She was born on Oct. 24, 1929, in Aberdeen, S.D., to George and Alma Burke. Donna was the third of four children. Donna and her siblings Dolores, Ramona and Gordon were all raised in Doland and Watertown, S.D.

Donna's early years in Doland were filled with the love of her family and the fairness of her parents. She attended her first movie, "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch," with her mother in Doland and participated in church programs as a singer and even a talent contest, where she won a sack of sugar for her beautiful voice. Some might even attribute this victory to the beginning of a long pastime of making some of the best sugar and holiday cookies in Missoula.

On April 22, 1950, she married Terrence Phillip Dalton in Watertown, S.D. The couple lived in South Dakota and Texas until moving to Missoula in 1960, where Donna served as the room mother for each of her three children while they attended grade schools in Missoula. Eventually, her marriage of 34 years was dissolved and Donna lived the rest of her years as a single woman in the company of her lifelong friend Paul Bjerke and the comfort of friends and family.

Donna took a job as a bookkeeper for Kerm and Lil Lilja at Team Electronics when her children became teenagers. In 1979, she took a position in the controller's office at the University of Montana and served the university for 17 years until her retirement in 1996. Friends noted her positive influence and ability to motivate them to get up from their desks and take daily walks that covered multiple miles around the campus and up to Higgins Avenue. True to her Norwegian heritage, Donna was an active member of the Sons of Norway and would don traditional clothing, participate in Norwegian dances and offer Christmas cookies to the students at Paxson Elementary School every holiday season.

Donna, a fervent runner, kept a quilt of all the races she completed – some with her children – many with her grandchildren. Amazingly, she recorded a run of 7.5 miles at the age of 62! Donna also had the good fortune to take the trip of a lifetime to Norway in 1992. Searching for her family roots, she found the Hansen and Burke roots from her parents' lineage and spent time with cousins several times removed in the Arnes-Nes district near Oslo. Along with being an active member of the Sons of Norway, she was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Missoula. Donna loved traditional Hardanger embroidery and sat weekly with a group at Rosauers as well as a quilting group at St. Paul's. Donna had a long history of making sweet mints for the Missoula Mercantile and for weddings in Missoula up until the price of sugar increased. Her attention to detail was evident in the three invoices for $7.20 of mints sent to a young couple for their wedding in Idaho. She did eventually note payment in her detailed ledger.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Donna had the delight of spending time with her three great-grandsons Joshua, Weston and Ben in the final years of her life.

Survivors include her longtime friend, Paul Bjerke; son, Gary Dalton and his wife Mary Dalton of Helena and their children Kelsey and Craig; son, Gregg Dalton of Missoula and his sons Nicholas and Jeffery; daughter, Nancy Dalton-Johnson and her husband Jim Johnson of Arlee, and their sons Cameron and his wife Hatton and their two sons Ben and Weston, and Kyle and his wife Lizette and their son Joshua; sister, Mona Burke of Denver; and brother, Gordon Burke of Watertown.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, at

2 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 Brooks St., with Pastor Joe Wahlin officiating. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Missoula Food Bank in the name of Donna Dalton

Read Donna Dalton's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.