Donna Malinowski

Obituary of Donna Malinowski

The family of Donna Malinowski of Yorkton & district, beloved wife of Ed Malinowski sadly announce her passing on January 22, 2025. Donna was 82 years of age.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, January 27, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. from the Yorkton Memorial Gardens Family Centre. 

Memorial donations in memory of Donna may be made to the Yorkton Exhibition Association or STARS as gifts of remembrance.

Funeral arrangements are in care of Bailey’s Funeral Home, Yorkton.

Donna Rose Malinowski, beloved wife of Ed Malinowski, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025 at The Crossing n Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

Donna was born February 1st, 1942 to May and Leonard Reid of the Dunleath District. Donna attended Shamrock School, completing grade 8, then on to Yorkton to complete grade 10 at YCI. Her sister Dale Ann passed away as a newborn and Sandi joined the family on 1950. Donna worked at the Broadway Café to help with the cost of attending high school and the cost of boarding in town.

Donna married Ed Malinowski June 30th, 1961. Eddie was the love of her life. This started a partnership in every achievement leading to their future together. It was always Donna and Ed together that faced everything life had to offer.

Their married life started in the Little Pink House in the Peach View District. Their wedding was the last held at the Lake View Lodge at York Lake. You could say it started on a very bright light as the Broadway Café burned that night. Some of the bridal party got into trouble for running over the fire hose.

Donna often laughed that it was a good thing Ed was a good trapper as they lived on rabbits that first winter as there was no money. They had a mixed farm with cattle, horses, chickens and grain. They both loved horses and competed in a lot of the small fairs around the area. The little Pink House soon became the host to a Gymkhana Club where one Sunday a month about 30 horses would arrive to compete in horse games and even race on a track dragged out on the summer fallow field. Donna even gave up her clothesline for a bucking barrel to be attached by four huge springs. Uncle Leonard Jones said he could ride it but emptied all the change out of his pockets and lost his hat. Not many others braved to ride that barrel. Later this gathering was moved to Rokeby and the Rokeby Gymkhana club was born.

On March 14th, 1963, Wesley Lee was born with Leonard Jospeh following to complete the family on March 27, 1965. Her boys were he whole life. She loved them dearly.

Donna worked beside Ed on the farm doing chores, mowing hay as well as driving combine. She had a milk cow named Lulubell that permitted Donna to milk her anywhere, but oh my that cow disliked men.

Donna and Ed’s door was always open to friends and family. Lillian (Jones) Mehling stayed with them to complete her high school at the Yorkton Composite School and following her Tom Jones also stayed to attend high school. Then opportunities opened and like all young people they decided to take jobs in The Pas. Ed as a mechanic and Donna in a jewelry store. As usual their life was full of adventure and wonderful friends.

When Ed’s dad Joe began to have some health issues, Donna and Ed returned to where they were the happiest, on the farm.

The soon became very involved in minor sports with Lee in hockey and Len in figure skating and later hockey. Coming back to their love of horses soon put them back on the show circuit. They joined the Yorkton Exhibition Board in 1976. Donna was very active in the Rokeby Community Hall, helping to host events to raise money for the school’s upkeep. Donna and Ed were part of the founding members that started the Yorkton Quarter Horse Club and were responsible for organizing a yearly show. They also enjoyed being members in the Yorkton Wildlife Club.

Donna helped on the farm, she also worked in Yorkton, first at Howie’s Jewelry until Howie retired and the store was bought and became McLaren’s Music. She worked there for a short time then started at Coles Book Store. When she retired from Coles after twenty-five years, she worked for the Littman family at The House (Northeastern Seed) until it closed.

Donna was a lifelong friend to many. She always had a smile and time to visit with everyone. Donna loved to flirt, laugh and make those around her happy. But she also had a backbone of steel and could be stubborn if she was passionate about something. Donna’s cattle records were a marvel, every cow had a page with her history, if she needed injections, if a calf was male or female, good or bad, which bull sired that year’s calf. Each cow had a dedicated page. Although she never enjoyed the grain side’ she still had a page for each quarter, date seeded, date harvested, how many acres were in production. Donna was a devoted journalist, she had thirty years of daily weather, family happenings, or worldly events recorded. If you wanted to know the perfect day to plant the garden, a simple call to Donna had her checking her beloved Moon Book and she had your answer.

Donna and Ed finally got to make a trip to the Yukon in their Dodge Journey. They made a bed in the back and drove as far as they could during the day with no agenda, it was a trip of a lifetime for them. The highlight of Donna’s day was to go in the Gaiter to check the cattle, they would drive into the herd and the animals would come to visit. Donna and Ed became a well-known couple at the Co-op bulk fuel as they hauled all the fuel required for spring and fall for tractors and combines on the farm. Not to bad, eighty-two and still trucking.

Donna looked forward to Len’s norming coffee visits so that she knew what was happening on the farm that day. Donna would do without, so that she could give to her family.

Donna was all about family and loved her grandchildren. She did rule with the threat of the wooden spoon, that was proven fact when the couch was moved, and the stash hidden by grandsons was discovered. But Donna was in attendance for all the grandchildren’s events, if not in person, then in thought and best wishes. She always had time to listen to their problems and often gave well thought out advice and love. She really was the monarch of the family. Donna always had a special place in her heart and was always proud of Lee’s son Dustyn, he was always a great support to his grandparents. The greatest joy her grandchildren gave her was her great grand-children. By Colton and Kelsey – 3 boys, Kash Noah and Bodie who she adored and called them “My Three Sons”. By Casey and Colby, their son Brooks, was always her ray of sunshine. Breanna and Evan gave her Parker May, the light of Donna’s life as well as their son Westyn, grandma’s little gentleman.

Donna was predeceased by her parents, May and Leonard Reid, in-laws Joe and Kay Malinowski. Her son Wesley Lee Malinowski. Brother in-law Amos Malinowski, sister in-law Vickie Vargo, and brother in-law Ivan Pollock.

Left to mourn her passing, her husband Ed Malinowski, son Len (Tracy)  Malinowski, grandchildren Colton (Kelsey) Malinowski, Casey (Colby) Melnechenko, Breanna (Evan) Krahenbil, Dustyn Malinowski and Ashley Sepke. Great-grandchildren Kash, Noah, Bodie, Brooks, Parker and Westyn. Her former daughter in law Michelle Malinowski, as well as Michelle’s sister Tracy. Sister Sandi Pollock along with many nieces and nephews.

 

Monday
27
January

Memorial Service

2:00 pm
Monday, January 27, 2025
Yorkton Memorial Gardens
Highway #10 East
YORKTON, Saskatchewan, Canada
Memorial Service

Interment

Yorkton Memorial Gardens & Crematorium
Highway 10 East
Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada
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