Cloudy, 37° F
(Dec. 18, 2007)
On Tuesday, Dec.18, longtime Powell/Cody resident Donna Aline Bormuth Dugger died at her home in Ferndale, Wash., surrounded by her family.
Born 75 years ago on August 6, 1932 in Parkerton, Wyoming, a small oilfield community near Glenrock, Wyoming, she was the first child and only daughter born to Kent and Clysta (Sally) Bormuth. Donna’s early years were spent in the Glenrock area until the family moved to Cody in 1944.
On Nov. 19, 1957, in Reno, Nev., Donna married Jim Dugger of Powell, the true love and shining star in her life. On Nov. 19, 2007, they celebrated 50 treasured years of marriage. They resided in Powell until 2005 when they moved to Washington to be near their daughter, Sally Robinette and family.
After marriage and throughout her life she was known to neighbors and friends as a caregiver, an avid gardener, accomplished cook, and health food expert. After raising or growing nearly all of the family’s food, she canned, made jellies and preserved her foods up until the time of her death. Many will recall the years of flourishing fruits and vegetables plus the colorful array of flowers and healthy livestock all nurtured on the sod farm Jim & Donna operated on the outskirts of Powell, Wyoming. For years she worked as a cook for the Powell School District and in off hours she worked at the Powell Health Food Store. During the evenings she organized, stuffed and labeled newspapers for the Powell Tribune. However, her most loved occupation was that of being the “Right Hand Man” to her beloved husband Jim. As she battled cancer, her only complaint was that she hated not being able to go outside as often and help Jim.
She had a life-long love to read, garden, crochet, knit and cook. She also enjoyed camping, hunting, and fishing with Jim. Her family came first and were always the most important aspect of her entire life.
Donna is survived by her husband Jim, in Ferndale; daughters Jeanette (OB) Sanchez of Las Cruses, N.M., and Sally (Ken) Robinette of Bellingham, Wash.; grandchildren Angela Chase, Leigh and Joy Robinette, Jennifer (Chris) Ray and Aimee Geiger; brothers Bob (Maxine) Bormuth of Fort Collins, Colo., and Bill (RoyAnn) Bormuth of Cody; three great-grandchildren, Jakob Chase, Kaitlyn Geiger and Hunter Geiger, plus many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father and her mother.
A Celebration of Her Life is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29 at the Robinette home in Bellingham, Wash. Moles Family Funeral Home, 1907 Front Street, Lynden, Wash has completed cremation. During a private family service Donna’s ashes will be scattered at the family cabin in Maple Falls, Wash.
For those who wish, donations may be made, in Donna’s memory, to the extraordinarily helpful and wonderful Whatcom Hospice Assn., on 800 East Chestnut Street, Suite #1, in Bellingham, WA 98225. Cards and letters of remembrance may be mailed to Jim Dugger, c/o Ken Robinette, Bellingham Underwriters, Inc., 1201 Cornwall Ave., Suite 209, Bellingham, WA 98225 or you can share your thoughts and memories of Donna with the family by using the funeral home’s on-line guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com.
