Donna Milliard, 81

A Memorial Service for Donna Milliard of Baudette, MN will be held on Friday, April 29, 2016 at 11AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baudette, MN. A Prayer service will be held Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 7PM at the church. 
Donna Mae Milliard, 81 of Baudette, MN entered peacefully into God’s loving hands Sunday, April 10th, 2016 at St. Mary’s hospital, Rochester, MN after a long battle with heart failure.
Donna Mae Francisco was born June 26, 1934 in Warroad, MN. The only child of Peter Alvin “Al” Francisco and Mary Jane “Mae” (Charlton) Francisco. She grew up in Williams, MN attending both grade school and high school there. She attend college for one year at Saint Catherine’s in St. Paul, MN before transferring to Bemidji State Teacher’s College where she graduated with a teaching degree in Biology and a minor in Health and Phy-ed.
Donna began her teaching career in Baudette and Williams, teaching girls Phy-Ed and health.
On June 20,1959 Donna married the love of her life, soul mate and best friend Patrick John Milliard at the Sacred Heart Catholic church in Baudette. She then relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for one year teaching girls Phy-ed. It was after this year that Donna returned to Baudette teaching Health and Phy-ed but mostly Biology for the remainder of her 35 + years of teaching.
Donna was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baudette, a 50 year lifetime member of the Women of the Moose, member of MEA and NEA and a member of the Baudette library board. She was a receipetent of the Teacher of the Year award and received The Award of Teaching Excellence for the “Implementation of the Values and Choices at Lake of the Woods High School.
Donna had a true love and zest for life. Her smile was infectious and she always said she had never met anyone she did not like. She enjoyed the Brink Center Bone Builders Group, Sommerfield coffee club, Stitch and Bitch group, puzzles, a good book, a good movie, knitting dishcloths which she gave away as gifts, carnations and animals. Her greatest love was her family and the passion she had for her students whom she felt all had potential.
Survivors include her loving husband of almost 57 years Pat Milliard of Baudette. A son Tim (Janice) Milliard of Sleepy Eye, MN. A daughter Patricia (Stephen) Czapiewski of Rochester, MN. Grandchildren Bryan Milliard (Minneapolis), Jon Milliard (Mankato), Zach and Zoe Mae Czapiewski (Rochester)
She is also survived by special family friends Daune Hoffman and daughters Sara and Jenna, many cousins, friends and former students.
She was preceded in death by her parents, mother and father in law Roy and Ann Milliard, brother in law Ron “Bud” Milliard, all of her aunts and uncles and many cousins.
She will truly be missed by many. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the organization of the donors choice.