Donna Erickson

Donna C. Erickson, 91, Rosholt, SD, died Sunday, November 4, 2012, at the Rosholt Care Center.
A celebration of Donna's life was Monday, November 12, at 10:00 a.m. at the Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt with Pastor Fern Bailey officiating.
Burial was at the Hillside Cemetery, Rosholt. Honorary pallbearers were Paul Arneson, Glenn Dykstra, David Erickson, Tom Erickson, David Rosenkranz and Arnie Braun.
Donna Charlotte Erickson was born to Oscar and Mabel Erickson on December 29, 1920. Donna graduated from Rosholt High School in 1938, and then she attended a business school in Grand Island, Nebraska on a scholarship.
After Donna graduated in 1940, she took the civil service exam and received an offer to take a job with the State Department in Washington D.C. She started as a clerk typist in the Foreign Affairs office, where she processed incoming and outgoing diplomatic correspondence. For this post, she received the highest security clearance, which opened many doors in her career.
In 1945, Donna participated in the United Nations Conference on International Organization. She had a role in writing the charter for the formation of the United Nations organization. This mission provided her with an opportunity to ride on a government train that included passengers like President Harry Truman and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
After the United Nations mission, Donna worked with the American Delegation that met at Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas. This assignment was to work on the purchase of the West Indies, which allowed Donna the opportunity to work with dignitaries from England, France and Denmark.
Donna retired in 1975 from her position of Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Information Management. She decided to leave Washington, D.C. and return to her home in Rosholt, in order to care for her family. Upon her return to Rosholt, Donna lived in the historic depot house with her mother. Donna spent her retirement caring for her ailing mother and siblings.
Donna is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Mabel Erickson; her brothers, Vance, Lionel, and Donnie; and her sister, Gwynneth.
Donna is survived by her sister-in-law, Dolores Erickson; her nephews, Tom and David Erickson; and her nieces, Mona Chancellor, Chloe Dykstra, Nancy Arneson, Kaaren Lambros, Lani White, Gwyn Sieracki, Susan Richter, and Cindy Erickson.