Anderson Funeral Home

serving families for over 60 years
312 South Stone St.
Augusta, WI 54722
715-286-2222

Dona Krienke
Dona Irene Krienke, 82, of Osseo, died Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Osseo.


Dona was born April 3, 1932, in Eau Claire to Harold and Hazel (Olson) Lowe. She graduated from Lincoln Hill High School in Osseo in 1950.
Dona married Melvin Krienke at Fort Hood, Texas in 1951. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary on March 10, 2014.  
Dona was involved in the lives of countless people showing her love and care for many. She was active in the community being involved in Commercial Club, Red Cross Blood Mobile, fundraising for the building of the Osseo Community Hospital and Nursing Home, downtown development, and many more community projects. She also served on the Wisconsin State Consumer Protection Advisory Council for several years.
In 1974, she began her decorating business out of her home using a motor home as her mobile showroom. Her keen eye for interior design along with her skills as a seamstress resulted in decorating hundreds of homes over the years.  

She is best known for her entrepreneurship in development of her business, Dona’s Ethnic Crafts which, together with Mel, she operated for 21 years.  
Dona, often called the Queen of Quilts, referred to her shop as a cultural melting pot. She took this blend of artistic talent of Hmong, Amish, Scandinavian and many others and created a wonderful place that welcomed visitors from all across the country and around the world. The shop expanded to Fort Myers, Florida during winter months for a number of years. Dona enjoyed quilt creation, collaborating with Hmong, Amish, and other talented quilters. It was common for her to have over 100 quilts in her shop at a time. Her work was her hobby and she loved it!


Dona is survived by Mel, her husband of 63 years, her daughter Kathy (Randy) Rosenberg, and her sons Ron (Linda) Krienke and Steve (Sheri) Krienke. She is further survived by her grandchildren Joe (Stephanie) Krienke, Bethany (Nathan) Walker, Ryan (Becky) Rosenberg, Kaiya (Jeff) Grabau, Samantha Krienke, Jesse Christen, and Sara Aldarondo, and great-grandchildren Lillian, Maria, and Aaron Walker, Joshua and Emma Krienke, Owen and Liam Rosenberg, and Elizabeth Grabau.
She is also survived by her step-mother Ruth Lowe and her sisters Connie Stetzer, Linda Sunde, and Dorothy Jereczek, brothers Harry Lowe and John Lowe, many nieces and nephews, and special friends Eilene Muenkel and Rosie Paulson.


Dona was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Bonie Kelly.
The memorial service for Dona will be held at Osseo Evangelical Lutheran Church, on Friday, May 23, 2014. Visitation will be at the church from 1-3 p.m., with the funeral to follow at 3:00, with Pastor Lewis Thompson officiating. Burial will be at the Osseo Cemetery.