Donna Reiter, age 89 of Wall Lake, IA, passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2023, at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake. Donna Rae Eaton was born on October 16, 1933, to parents Lyle and Velma (Tjaden) Eaton in rural Herring, IA. She grew up on the family farm and attended Levy Township Country School before attending high school in Wall Lake. Donna graduated from Wall Lake High School with the class of 1951. She was baptized and confirmed at the Wall Lake United Methodist Church and later became a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake.
On December 1, 1953, Donna was united in marriage to Kermit Reiter at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake. This union was blessed with four children: Cindy, Rick, Jeff, and Tammy. Besides being a homemaker, Donna held various jobs including working at National Oats Company, as a bookkeeper at Reiter Feed, and she worked at Twilight Acres for several years retiring in 2010.
Donna served as a member of the Ladies Aid at Peace Lutheran Church and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for fifty years. She was also quite the bowler and enjoyed playing on a league team weekly with her friends.
Back when dance halls were more abundant, she and Kermit visited many in the area as they loved to go dancing. Donna enjoyed playing cards with friends and family and loved to travel. She enjoyed trips to Arizona, Texas, Florida, and one of her favorites - going to Disney World with her grandchildren. She and Kermit planted a large garden every spring which meant lots of canning in the late summer/fall and a full pantry for the winter. She enjoyed every minute of being a wife and mother and later on grandmother. Her family meant the world to her! One of her favorite things to do was work with her grandchildren in the kitchen. Whether it be making Special K bars, baking gingerbread boys or her famous rhubarb muffins, a lot of memories were made…memories that will be held forever dear by each and every grandchild. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Cindy (Dave) Dersien of Bourbonnais, IL, Rick (Tina) Reiter of Wall Lake, IA, Jeff Reiter of Wall Lake, IA, and Tammy (Tom) Myers of Huron, SD; ten grandchildren and one step grandson; thirteen great-grandchildren; sisters: Nelda Leighter of Lake View, IA, Diane (Gary) Wheeler of Des Moines, IA, Debbie (Randall) Druivenga of TX, and Becky (Mike) Koessel of AR; many nieces, nephews, other extended family members and friends.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle and Velma Eaton; husband Kermit Reiter; brother Dennis (Sandi) Eaton; brothers-in-law Jeryl (Eva) Reiter and Harvey (Margie) Reiter; sister-in-law Annabelle (Bob) Leitz; parents-in-law Jessie and Gertie (Freese) Reiter; and nephew Troy Eaton.
