Donna Mae Rustad, 89, of Benson, MN, died Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at Swift County Benson Hospital in Benson, MN. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., followed by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 27, 2021, at West Zion Lutheran Church, rural Hancock. Burial will be in the West Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Donna Mae (Swenson) Rustad was born May 8, 1932 in Hancock, MN, the daughter of Swen J Swenson and Alvina (Roisum) Swenson. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Redeemers Lutheran Church in Hancock. Donna graduated from Hancock High School. On April 11, 1953 she married Sidney Arnold Rustad at Our Redeemers Lutheran Church. They were blessed with 67 years of marriage, 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren.
Donna spent most of her life on the family farm – a life grounded in nurturing family, home, and church. Donna was an amazing homemaker, bookkeeper for the farm, feeding the men, taking care of her children. She was active at West Zion Lutheran Church, Hancock. She held roles of Sunday School teacher, superintendent, member of the West Zion ladies aid holding many offices, and church treasurer. She made the best egg coffee for all church functions. Donna was a hospice volunteer for 15 years, using her abundance of empathy and compassion to help others. Her hobbies included decorating, gardening, canning and cooking. Most of all she loved her family and always wanted to know what everyone was doing! She would light up when her grandchildren came to visit the farm, making them all their favorite foods, building forts in the woods and creating dollhouses. She taught all her children and grandchildren how to make lefse. She would never miss our annual Lefse day where she inspected everyone’s rolling, flipping and drying skills! She had a great sense of humor, her smile and giggles were a constant.
Donna died at age 89 on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at the Benson hospital surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her children Dennis (Susan) Rustad of Clontarf, Jeannie (Harley) Vestrum of Carlos, John (Charlotte) Rustad of Clontarf, and Nancy (Darrell) Stewart of Alexandria; grand-children: Amy, Adam, John, Luke, Brock, Andrew, Anna-Lisa, Britta, and Rachel; great-grandchildren: Owen, Cora, Miles, Harper, Ivy, Grant, Nolan, Ella, and Bennett.
She was preceded in death by her husband Sidney Rustad, her parents Swen and Alvina Swenson, her brothers Jerroll, Lyle, and Roger Swenson; sisters Dorothy Mazurek, Ruby Olson, Marvis McRoberts, and Jean Hollen.
Blessed be the memory of Donna Mae Swenson Rustad. Please sign the guestbook at www.zniewskifuneralhome.com