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Donna Elaine (Steen) Diteman, 72

Donna Elaine (Steen) Diteman passed away peacefully surrounded by family members on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, immersed in the love of her devoted husband, Richard Thomas Diteman, and her five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Donna had recently been diagnosed with cancer, but had also endured rheumatoid arthritis, with its challenges and complications, for many years. Throughout these years, she kept a positive, humorous, and hopeful outlook on life, even through obvious discomfort.

Donna was born on May 31, 1945, to Florence Esther (Wooliscroft) Steen and Donn Marwyn Steen, in Sunnyside, Wash. She was then raised in both Cheney and Greenacres, Wash. Donna enjoyed playing violin, cheerleading, basketball, and tumbling during childhood and high school and graduated from Cheney High School in 1963.

Donna soon married her high school sweetheart, Richard, on Sept. 7, 1963. The couple’s first child, Jackie, was born in Pomona, Calif., in 1964, but the homesick couple moved back to Washington within a year, where daughters, Michele and Edie, were born. They spent the next decade raising their daughters, subsequently moving to Post Falls, Idaho, where their two sons, Jeffrey and Curtis, were born. During this busy time of child-rearing, the couple worked as a team to build the family drywall and construction business, with Donna in charge of bookkeeping and logistics.

Donna held a great appreciation for nature and the outdoors, spending many memorable trips to “the lake,” her beloved point at Lake Pend Oreille. She was an avid camper, huckleberry picker and gardener, taking great pride in growing raspberries, rhubarb, and more, and making delicious chocolate zucchini cake, strawberry-rhubarb pie and huckleberry pancakes.

Together with Richard, she prepared homemade canned salsas, pears, peaches, jams, and frozen jams to share with the family, with her favorite recipes passed on to her children. Her love for music inspired her children and grandchildren to follow suit and build fond childhood memories of her teaching and singing them nursery rhymes and Christmas carols. She left a legacy of love for family, outdoors, travel and traditions to her many children and grandchildren, most of which also inherited Donna’s beautiful natural curly hair.

In more recent years, Donna enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, and had the good fortune of visiting family and friends in Hawaii on multiple occasions. Most recently she had become an avid member at the local health club — weightlifting and swimming alongside both men and women 50 years her junior, to rebuild strength after back surgery and health complications. Donna was tenacious, yet fulfilled. It was the simple pleasures in life that gave her the most joy, like her morning cup of coffee or a quiet drive in the countryside.

Donna will be dearly missed by her surviving husband of 54 years, Richard, in the family home; her two sisters, Karolyn Powers (Moses Lake, Wash.) and Linda Steen (Garden Springs, Wash); her daughter, Jackie, and husband, Scott Livingston (Post Falls, Idaho); daughter, Michele, and husband, Ross Friesen (Monmouth, Ore.); daughter, Edie, and husband, Steven LaBelle (Post Falls, Idaho); son, Jeffrey Diteman, and wife, Grace (Deerfield, Mass.); son, Curtis Diteman, and partner, Brindlie Dietrick (Des Moines, Iowa); as well as her wonderful grandchildren, Candice, Nick, Cassidy, Trinity, Dakota and Sierra Livingston, Josh Larsen, Nikki and Broc Friesen, Blythe, Thomas and Anika LaBelle; and one great-grandchild, Brandon Meeks. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Donn and Florence; Richard’s parents, Curtis and Lorna Diteman and her first-born grandchild, Daniel Scott Livingston.

Donna was overwhelmed with joy and humbled with gratitude to have Richard, her five children, her 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild all under one roof and by her side in her final days. She was our lifelong teacher, and reminded us all once again the importance of love, kindness, compassion, and the strength of the family bond. We will never forget the power of a simple smile or hug that she so graciously offered and her unconditional love that never waived.

All family and friends of Donna and Richard are invited to join a celebration of life being held at 1 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2017, at the LaBelle residence in Post Falls, Idaho. Please call 208-620-1241 for directions. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to Hospice of North Idaho.