Donna Vee Ross

Donna Vee Ross, 92, of Boise, passed away on June 24, 2020, just two days before her 93rd birthday, at her home, at Salmon Creek Assisted Living in Boise.

Donna was born June 26, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Frances Octavia Svedin and Neils C. Jorgensen. She was the youngest of nine children. She was raised in the Nampa/Caldwell areas, where she attended school and graduated from Caldwell High School in 1945. As a child, she remembered getting lots of hugs from her mother and lots of laugher from her father. After high school, she took a job with the local telephone company and attended the College of Idaho.

Donna married Warren Lawrence in 1949 and had a son, Lynn. In 1958, she married James Kelly. They had three children, Kathleen, Jim and John. James was killed in a car accident, and Donna was left to raise four young children on her own. Donna worked very hard to earn her teaching degree, while raising four young children on her own. Donna later married Lyman Richardson and together had a son, Mark.

After years of hard work, Donna received her teaching degree. She taught special-needs at Franklin Elementary School. Her students meant the world to her. She kept pictures and names of each child that she taught.

In 1988, Donna was introduced to Eldon Ross by her sister Helen. She was married to Eldon in 1989 in the Boise Idaho Temple. Over the years, they loved to travel, play cards, and especially loved spending the winter in Quartzsite, Arizona. Eldon passed away in 2011.

After Eldon‘s passing, Donna moved to Salmon Creek Assisted Living, where she made many wonderful friends over the years.

Donna was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served in many capacities in the church. Her favorite place to serve was in the Primary.

Donna was very talented at knitting, quilting and painting. She was very proud of her family, and especially loved all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen (Randy) Thorsteinson, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada; sons, Lynn Lawrence of Boise, John Kelly of Nampa, and Mark Richardson of Boise; 17 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon, parents and eight siblings.

A graveside service will be held Monday, June 29, at 2:00 p.m., at the Star Cemetery, 9350 W. Floating Star Rd., Star, Idaho. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.relyeafuneralchapel.com.

We would like to express our love and appreciation to the staff at Comfort Keepers. They became very dear friends to Donna over the years. And also to Keystone Hospice who took such wonderful care of Donna in her last moments. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the LDS Humanitarian Relief Fund.