Obituary of Donna Jeannette Erickson

With great sorrow, we announce the passing of Donna Jeannette Erickson on March 1, 2020 at the age of 76 years. She will be greatly missed by her daughters Cheryl Pakosh (Darrell), and Carrie Erickson; grandsons Riley and Caden; sister Marlene Prystupa (Amel); sister-in-law Carol Johnson; and her many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. Donna was predeceased by her husband John Erickson; parents Nicholas and Katherine Masnyk; sister Elizabeth Schendel; in-laws Hallgrimur and Valgerdur Erickson; brothers-in-law Norman Johnson and George Schendel; and nephew Brent Prystupa. Donna was born on January 17, 1944 in Winnipeg to Katherine and Nicholas Masnyk. She grew up with her two sisters, Elizabeth and Marlene. The youngest of the three, Donna was somehow “in charge“ of her sisters and they shared a close bond throughout their lives. Her next-door neighbor Pat was a childhood friend and they shared a connection that lasted a lifetime. After graduating from Tech-Voc., Donna began working with the City of Winnipeg in the Parks and Recreation Dept. She married John Erickson in 1966 after meeting at a dance and two teammates were born. Together they raised a family, planted gardens, maintained a home, and later built a cottage. Little did Donna know that by asking her girls if they wanted to “play ringette” it would put her on a path to spend many years volunteering with Melrose Community Club. She put her strengths to work, managing her girls’ sports teams for many years. Along the way, many lasting friendships were made and fond memories of times spent together. After 23 years of service with the City of Winnipeg, Donna retired from the Public Works Dept. to spend time with her family and to help raise her two grandsons, one of her greatest joys. Throughout her life, Donna valued her relationships with others above all else. She was a devoted wife and daughter. She loved visiting with family and friends at the cabin. Many happy times were spent playing card games filled with jokes and laughter. Donna showed the greatest care to her daughters and many special times were enjoyed together. We invite you to celebrate Donna’s life with us on Friday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. at Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main St. Winnipeg. Donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or CancerCare Manitoba.