Donna Zieserl

Donna Zieserl was a beautiful person to know and to love. She lived her life selflessly, giving all of her time and resources to those she loved; family always came first. Donna was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who will be dearly missed by her family.

1935 was the year of Amelia Earhart’s solo flight across the Pacific and the debut of Germany’s Volkswagen Beetle. Looking back on this period, it is difficult to recall much of anything that wasn’t affected by the Great Depression. There were few jobs and a soaring unemployment rate that left countless American families without homes. Despite these tough times, baby Donna’s arrival on January 9, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, was a blessing. Born an only child, her birth brought much happiness and promise to her loving family.

During her growing years, Donna and her mom lived with her Aunt Ro and Uncle Ed. As a result, Donna’s cousins, Edward, Richard, and Donald, became like siblings. Her mother worked at the local laundromat and helped with alterations in town. From an early age, she loved movies, music and dancing to big band music. Her favorite singers were Perry Como and Barbra Streisand. She frequented the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge where she met John Zieserl who was working as an usher; they began to date. As a young adult, she worked in accounting and took the train downtown to her job in the Chicago Loop. After high school she aspired to be an airline stewardess, but her desire to be a wife and mother won out. She left the United States to join John, the love of her life, who was serving in the military and stationed in Germany. Happily in love, they exchanged their vows on January 22, 1957, in Landstuhl, Germany. During their 18 months in Germany, the newlyweds were blessed to start their family with their firstborn daughter.

Donna cherished her years as a mother. She ran a smooth household where home-cooked meals were typical of the times. Donna perfected her pot roast, and Sunday dinners were always exceptional with all the fixings. She was content and happy as a stay-at-home mother when their family eventually grew to include four more daughters. As a mother, she was loving and encouraging. She flourished in the daily routine of managing the house as well as her daughters’ busy schedules. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her family. Once they were older, she chose to re-enter the workforce at Jacobson’s located downtown Kalamazoo on the pedestrian mall. Donna started in jewelry and then moved to the women’s clothing department. Her highlight of these years was putting together outfits for the area shoppers. She had a real knack for clothing and textiles. Her job kept her busy in between the holidays and special gatherings of her family.

Never one to remain idle, Donna was active in her community. She sang in the church choir at St. Monica Catholic Church and later at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. She had a beautiful singing voice. Traveling was another favorite pastime. She and John enjoyed planning trips and tours together. They traveled to Ireland’s lush and beautiful countryside to take in the scenery and learn about the culture. They enjoyed the bus tour and the planned activities, which took the stress off of them so they could simply focus on the endless, vast, and open green hills. She also loved birds. Donna always kept the bird feeder full and loved to see each species return in the warmer months. She was an active volunteer at a local nursing home and for Meals on Wheels. She found joy in helping others.

Donna enjoyed hosting countless family gatherings; food and hospitality were her love language. All were encouraged to eat their fill by her “no leftovers” plea. Every year, John and Donna hosted Christmas Eve. An event that started when their kids were young with a solemn prayer gathering around the advent wreath and mid-night church service for those that could stay awake. As daughters married and had children, the night became much more spirited. The house was filled with love and laughter and was cherished by all. When her family was around, she savored every moment.

Family meant everything to Donna, and she was beyond devastated when their daughter, Suzanne, died in 2018. Too soon afterwards, John tragically died in March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID lockdown. During this time, Donna grew a love-hate relationship with puzzles, while she was quarantined to the house or the “bubble” as she called it. After two years alone in her home, she needed more support, and she moved to Story Point in Portage. It wasn’t an easy move; she missed her home and was still grieving the loss of her husband. While at Story Point, she attended select activities…weekly communion, music performances, bingo, and Friday happy hour. She especially loved musical performances with singing. Each day she followed a rigid routine which was thankfully interrupted by a visit or phone call from a daughter or family member. Till the very end…family was everything to her. There is no doubt that her loving nature and warm spirit will be deeply missed by her many loved ones.

Donna Zieserl of Portage, age 91, died on January 31, 2026. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, and daughter, Suzanne; and her parents Harry and Helen Gulden. Surviving are her children: Terry Delpier, Cheryl Soderquest, Michele (Mike) Proos, and Patti (Sean) Carruth; 8 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

Please join us at a Life Story Service on Monday, February 16, at 11 AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center, where food, drinks, and stories can be shared. Burial at Mount Olivet Cemetery will follow the reception. Celebrate Donna’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.