DonElda "Donnie" Lucas

DonElda “Donnie” Lucas, 88, Bismarck, died June 27, 2016, at CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Thursday, June 30, at Church of St. Anne, 1321 Braman Ave., Bismarck, with Rev. Corey Nelson officiating. Visitation will be held from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Wednesday, June 29, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a rosary/vigil will begin at 7:00 pm. Burial will be held at 1:00 pm Thursday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. Donnie was born February 27, 1928, on the farm north of Rock Lake, ND, the daughter of Jacob and Alice (Bower) Eckerdt. She spent the first eight years of school at Hansboro, ND, and graduated from high school in 1946 in Rolla, ND. Donnie worked at the Rolette County Bank in Rolla from 1946 to 1951. Donnie met Don on a train going to Pasco, WA, to pick up her aunt and uncle and to drive them to San Jose, CA. At the time, Don was stationed at the Oakland Army Base. In 1951, Donnie moved to Oakland, CA, and worked at the Bank of America of Alameda, CA. The couple was married February 9, 1952, at the Oakland Army Chapel. When Don was discharged from the Army he went to work for Standard Oil of California at Richmond, CA, and the couple lived there until August 1953, when the GI Bill was passed and they moved to Grand Forks, ND. Patricia Lynn was born during their time in Oakland, CA, and Susan was born in Grand Forks, ND. Don received his degree in chemical engineering in 1957 and the family moved to Bismarck where Don was employed at Amoco Refinery. Don and Donnie were avid square dancers, RV travelers, bird watchers, and hikers. They spent a lot of their vacations with family in many different places, including, Hawaii, Disney World, California wine trips, beautiful Ireland, and Mexico. Donnie is survived by her husband, Donald Lucas, Bismarck; her daughters, Patricia Lynn (Bruce) Senger, Moorhead, MN, and Susan Gayle Lucas D.V.M., Gillette, WY; her grandchildren, Jenna Senger, Minneapolis, MN, and Lucas Senger, Dillworth, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the ND Veterans Cemetery, 1825 46th St., Mandan, ND, 58554.