Donna Mae (Thebault) Drinkwalter
December 27,1929 – May 18, 2024
Donna Mae (Thebault) Drinkwalter of Billings, MT, lovingly known to her family as either Doc or Gramma Doc, passed quietly out of this world to join her Heavenly Father on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at the age of 94.
She was born in Hot Springs, SD, on December 27,1929, the daughter of Henry and Ruth (Grant) Thebault. After her husband passed away, Ruth married Cecil Kirby, and they moved to his ranch near Oral, SD. Cecil was a great father to Ruth’s daughters, Donna and her two sisters, Phyllis and Marlene.
The country school the girls attended only went through the 8th grade. Donna moved to Crawford, NE, to attend high school and lived with her grandmother. It was there she met Jesse Drinkwalter, and the rest is history. They were married in 1950 in Crawford, NE, and had two daughters, Lori and Vicki.
In 1964 the family moved to a ranch in the Elk Mountain Range in the Black Hills of SD. Donna had quite a job with girls, hired hands, being a 4-H leader, and helping with the ranch. It was here she put her skills to work and sewed Dad up a few times earning her the lifelong nickname “Doc”. In 1970, Donna and family move to a farm near Shepherd, MT.
In her working career, Donna worked as a nanny, hairdresser, schoolteacher, nurse; she detailed and drove fast cars at the Ford dealership where she earned the nickname “Barney Oldfield”; then in Billings she worked several bookkeeping and cashiering positions, including her 12 years at Rocky Mountain College.
As busy as Donna was, there was always time for a card game. She also loved to dance, listen to music, and sing. Until her passing there were not many hymns, swing, or western tunes that she couldn’t sing all the way through with a perfect melody. Next to the affinity for cards, was picking up pretty rocks. Donna was known as a rockhound with an extensive collection.
Donna was a long-time member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Royal Neighbors of America, the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women in Huntley. She was one of the original members of the Huntley Seniors.
She is survived by her daughters, Lori (Rolland) Berry and Vicki Peterson, both of Billings, MT; three grandchildren, Toby McCartney, John McCartney, and Jade Peterson; six great-grandchildren, Tabitha, Ryan, Joseph, Tyler, Emma, Lila and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse, sisters, Phyllis and Marlene, and her granddaughter, Amber.
A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, July 6th, 2024, at the Huntley United Methodist Church with a luncheon to follow for fellowship and reminiscing. Donna’s ashes will be spread with Jesse’s on their old place in South Dakota.
Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings, MT is in charge of arrangements.
