Donna Marlene (Holt) Kotval

Donna M. (Holt) Kotval of Clarissa, passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at the Galeon in Osakis at the age of 88.

Visitation will be held from 3:00-5:00 PM on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at Iten Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will be held at noon on Monday, November 20, 2023, at United Methodist Church in Clarissa with visitation one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Todd County Care Center or Clarissa-Communities of Faith Church. 

Donna was born July 1, 1935, to Roy and Alice (Beach) Holt in Burleene Township of Todd County, MN.  She was the 3rd youngest of nine children. Donna attended district 120, Drywood country school, graduating from Eagle Bend High School in 1953.  She was crowned Queen of Clotho Days July 4,1950.  After high school, she was employed at Eagle Bend Produce. 

Donna married Verne J. Kotval on September 29, 1956, at Methodist Church in Long Prairie, MN, while he was home on leave from the Army. She worked in St Cloud, MN until November 1957 when she joined Verne, who was stationed at Badkissingen, Germany. They traveled Germany, Belgium and spent New Years Eve in Paris. Donna returned to Minnesota via ship in May of 1958.

The couple returned to Clarissa and began farming Registered Brown Swiss cattle on 40 acres. They named their farm Pleasant Hills Farm which was one and a half miles NW of Clarissa. After the untimely death of Verne, on Nov 22, 1971, she moved into Clarissa. The farm remained in the family until July 1995.  Donna started part-time at The Hart Press Printing Co. in Long Prairie, MN in November 1974, then transitioned to full-time in March 1976, all while raising her children. She retired after 21 years from The Hart Press/Banta in September 1995.

Donna was a member of UMC of Clarissa and attended and volunteered at churches where she lived. She was a longtime American Legion Auxiliary unit 213, member. She was involved in the activities of her children, cub scouts, 4-H leader and enjoyed dancing, playing cards, gardening, camping, and genealogy. Sewing was a lifelong passion for Donna; she even sewed her own wedding dress! She enjoyed traveling and wintered in Alamo, TX for five years.

Donna was a strong woman who put her own struggles aside to make sure her children were always well cared for. She took them on many Sunday car rides to visit different family and always gave her children a special Christmas filled with love and tons of gifts under the tree. Donna will be remembered for being sweet, caring, hardworking, detailed, determined, and strong-willed.

Donna M. Kotval is survived by children, Nancy (Jim) Salentine of Fergus Falls; Sharon (Terry) Farber of Browerville, Jelene (Mark) Johnson of Belle Plaine, and Mark Kotval of Miltona; grandchildren, Zach (Jessica) Farber, Alex (Melanie) Farber, Nick (Jenny) Farber, and Reanna Ohlund; great grandchildren, Jocelyn, Lewin, Vera, Lyla, and Lochlan Farber; brothers, Wesley Holt, and Gale (LuAnn) Holt; sister-in-law, June Holt. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins of Beach, Holt, and Kotval families, and faithful friends.

She was preceded in death by husband, Verne; son, Laurel (1978); her parents, Roy & Alice Holt; sisters, Irene (Holt) Sanders, Velma (Holt) Green; brothers, Melvin, Dwayne, Kenny, and Alva (infant) Holt; parents in-law, Joe & Alice Kotval; brothers-in-law, Duane ‘Ole’ Green and Gorwood Sanders; and sisters-in-law; Celeste ‘Sally’ Holt, Elnora Holt, Myrtle Holt, and Dianne Holt.

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