Donna Jean Casey, age 73, passed away peacefully at her home in the Town of Sterling with her loved ones by her side on June 20, 2024, after a courageous one-year battle with stage four pancreatic cancer.

She was born on July 10, 1950, in Menomonie to Ervin and Irene (Smith) Schmidt. She lost her biological mother, Irene, to a fatal car accident in 1964 when she was 14 years old, and her father later remarried in 1978 to Else Braun.

Donna met the love of her life on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 1968, in Clayton at a bar called Richardson's bar. Both her and her future husband (Raymond Casey) were at the bar for a New Year's celebration, and when she spotted him across the way, she knew she had to make herself know. When it struck midnight declaring it the New Year of 1969, she made her way up to him and as she told it, "I just gave him a big kiss, and the rest is history." She had him hooked from that point. They later married in August of that same year. They ended up having two boys together, Chad and Jeremy while living in New Richmond.

Donna had attended high school in Boyceville and ended up dropping out of school two weeks before her graduation. Even though she didn’t graduate high school, she still pursued many odd jobs throughout her years such as a few grocery stores and restaurants, working at a factory, and cleaning houses. She even worked for a while with her husband and son at the Frederic Bakery where she enjoyed creating baked goods. However, her most cherished role was being a dedicated homemaker and spending quality time with her children and grandchildren.

Baking brought Donna immense joy, and she passed down her love for it to her granddaughter as they always baked together as she grew up. Her kitchen was always filled with the aroma of freshly baked goods, which she thoroughly enjoyed sampling herself. Anytime she made something for one of her kids or grandkids to take home, you wouldn't be surprised to get home, open it, and see that at least one little bit was taken out of it because she, "Had to sample it to make sure it tasted okay," or she would say, "I don't know, the mice must have gotten to it."

When she wasn't baking, she enjoyed reading a good mystery book and watching her birds at the many bird feeders she had placed throughout their yard. However, the thing she probably enjoyed most was seeing and spending time with her grandchildren; having sleepovers with them, playing board and card games (letting them win), watching movies, going to their ball games, baking, listening to her grandson’s homemade concerts, and much more. She would never turn down spending time with them.

Donna was a very warm-hearted, kind, and loving person who remained strong throughout her battle with cancer, and even in the end, she had found ways to smile and remain strong. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Donna is preceded in death by her parents; stepmother; brother Eugene Schmidt; and grandson Taylor Casey.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Raymond Casey; her two sons Chad (Terri) Casey and Jeremy (Sonya) Casey; her sister Darlene (Malcolm) Schutz; her brother LeRoy Schmidt; her five grandchildren – Cody, Kayla, Tanner, Austin (Makenna), Kadin; and two great grandchildren, Jaxon and Knox. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and family friends.

The family would like to thank Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home for helping with the arrangements. They would also like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Adoray for helping to keep her comfortable at the end of her battle, the Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin in Frederic for always taking good care of Donna while she was there for her treatments, and her oncology team at St. Croix Health in Frederic.

A celebration of life will be held later this month for family and friends to remember Donna.

Last Update: Jun 28, 2024 5:53 pm CDT