Donna Jeanne Galipeau (LoCelso), 83

Donna Jeanne Galipeau (LoCelso) born June 7, 1938, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, entered into rest April 19, 2022.

She enlisted in the Navy after high school and, after an honorable discharge, moved to California. She worked as a Secretary for CBS and later moved on to work for Northrop Grumman as a Secretary supporting 12 Engineers.

She was an extremely fast typist and produced all documents and reports and kept the department running. Later in life, after raising her family, Donna became an adventurous one. She helped build a 65’ Trimaran, with her bare hands, then sailed around the world for 5 years.

She learned how to navigate, by following the stars using a Brass Sextant, because GPS systems were very expensive back then. She wrote stories of her adventures for Inland and Offshore magazine to help fund the trip. After returning, she settled in Gilbert, Ariz., with her sister Marie.

She continued her love of writing with contributions of local restaurant reviews. Donna was also an avid Huckleberry lover and had fond memories growing up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho picking them. Her favorite way to eat them was on cereal. Always was a real treat! She also was an avid reader. You would always find her with a book in her hand and she always carried one in her purse. She loved the feel of a hard bound book cover, over computer reading, and she said it always made her reading more enjoyable. Donna had lots of friends and they all loved to play bingo together.

She also had a forever love for the homeless and would carry care packages of clothes, socks and canned food in the trunk of her car for any homeless person she would meet who was in need. She also volunteered at the Veterans Administration Hospital and wanted to do all she could to help and comfort our veterans.

She attended St. Anne’s Catholic Church and more than anything in life Donna loved Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, whom would stay very close to her after a bad accident left her with health challenges over the last 10 years.

She always believed that prayer moves everything, and she was a prayer warrior, even while bed bound. Her faith was unwavering. Jesus and Donna are seamlessly close and there was no question when she closed her eyes that final moment, the next waking moment she will have moved into his loving arms.

So overjoyed you are pain free now Mom! You moved spiritual mountains on Earth with your prayers and they are solidified eternal, as well as your soul, which will be resurrected into eternal life, when He comes again …

Donna is proceeded by her father Aldemar Galipeau, her mother Florence Galipeau, two brothers Virgil and Earl Galipeau and her sisters Yvonne Fitzpatrick and Marie Smith. She is survived by her children Michele Zimmerman (Fred) and Monique Crother (Duane) and her grandson Jordan Crother (Mehgan).

Per Mom’s only request, Mass is said in her name at St. Anne’s Catholic Church on July 10, 2022.