Donna Pfaff

Donna Pfaff, 87, Bismarck, passed away on Nov. 7, 2020. Private family funeral services will be held 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. A service livestream will be available on the funeral home’s website.

Public visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck.

Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Donna Wiley Pfaff was born on Jan. 10, 1933 to Harry and Olivia (Lembcke) Wiley at her grandmother’s house in Long Prairie, Minnesota. She was raised in Jamestown, graduating from Jamestown High School.

She married Raymond Pfaff on April 9, 1951. They moved to Georgia while Ray was in basic training at Fort Benning. When he was shipped to Germany, she moved back to her parents’ home in Jamestown to await his return. Later, Ray and Donna moved to the Judy Jo ranch north of Bismarck and six years later moved to Bismarck where Ray and his brother started Pfaff Construction. Donna was able to be a stay-at-home mom to her four children, Mark, Jesse, Pam and Randy, while also doing the bookkeeping for the construction company. When the kids were older, she received her real estate license and became a successful agent.

Donna was a social butterfly. Above all else, she loved her family and her church family. She enjoyed traveling, having coffee and brunch with friends and dancing around the kitchen while listening to old country and gospel music – all while whipping up a batch of something yummy!

She was a great mom and gramma to everyone. She “raised” many who weren’t connected by blood, but by heart. She never judged, just opened her arms and took them in. So by blood or by heart she had 21 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren (and counting), that loved her to the moon and back, who loved spending time with her and learning from her example how to love, forgive and do their best. She never let any of them leave without a little “something” to eat and an, “I love you; don’t you ever forget it.”

Donna will be remembered for so many things, but most of all, as a strong, hardworking, Christian woman, and loving and supportive wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched. We take comfort in knowing that we can all be together again in our forever home in heaven. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Donna is survived by her children, Pam and Randy; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Betty Klundt; brother-in-law, Lloyd Pfaff; special life-long best friend, Lorene Schield; and many nieces and nephews who adored her and were adored by her.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ray; her parents; her sons, Mark and Jesse Pfaff; brother, Harry “Bud” Wiley, Jr.; twin sisters, Sharon Harrington and Charlene Doney; and granddaughter, Lissa Horner.

“We love you, and don’t you EVER forget it!”