Edwards, Donna Marie

Donna Marie Edwards, 65, died Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, at Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa. Services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at First Congregational United Church of Christ. The Rev. Carla Burge will officiate at the service. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Goettsch Funeral Home in Anamosa. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Anamosa.

Surviving are her husband, Gary; her mother, Florence of Lakota, Iowa; two children, Bradley Neal (Lisa) Edwards of Anamosa and Gennie Lynne Edwards of Cedar Rapids; a brother, Richard Paulsen of Lakota, Iowa; and a granddaughter, Mikayla Marie.

She was preceded in death by her father, Elmer.

Donna Marie Paulsen was born Dec. 15, 1945, in Algona, Iowa, the daughter of Elmer and Florence (Heetland) Paulsen. Donna was a 1963 graduate of Lakota High School. She finished her nurses training in1966 at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines. On Aug. 28, 1966, Donna and Gary Lee Edwards were united in marriage in Lakota, Iowa. Donna worked at the Jones Regional Medical Center as a registered nurse for 28 years. In 2009, Donna received the 100 Great Iowa Nurses Award.

Donna loved gardening, reading, cross stitch, the outdoors, raising chickens and working side by side with Gary on the family farm. The couple enjoyed traveling to Washington, D.C., Brazil and the Colorado mountains to list a few, but what she treasured most was the time she was given to spend with her family and friends.

She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and sister and will be missed dearly by those closest to her.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Jones Regional Medical Center or the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Anamosa.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .

Published Sept. 24 and 25, 2011, in The Gazette