Donna Spehar

Donna Marjory Spehar passed into the care of our Lord on February 7, 2019. She was born January 22, 1930 in Duluth, Minnesota to Harold and Irene Stenberg. Donna came from a large Irish/Swedish family who nurtured & loved her. She graduated from Denfeld High School in 1949 then continued her higher education at St. Scholastica.

On October 20, 1951 Donna married Robert J (Bob) Spehar at St. Clements Church. They built their home in the Lakeside/Lester Park neighborhood and there raised three children. They were married for almost 68 years!

Donna was an active community member. She was a member of the Jaycee’s, Lakeside/Lester Park Business Association, Duluth Garden Club, Zonta International and served on the committee who started the Lester River Rendezvous. She loved to league bowl with Robert, travel to California to visit her sister Corinne & family, garden and travel abroad especially to Sweden to visit family there.

A special gift was Donna’s artistry. She possessed many artistic talents including oil & watercolor painting. She also greatly enjoyed creating stained glass. To provide an outlet for selling her artwork and art from other area artists including daughter Chris, Bob & Donna opened a shop in Lakeside called Mainstreet. Donnas shop was very successful and loved by the Duluth community for twenty years.

Donna also relished her time with family & friends at the family cabin on Lake Elora near Cotton, Minnesota. Fifty-one years of great times & treasured memories were enjoyed there!

Her giving nature was self-evident throughout the years. She was a fabulous cook – hosted almost all the holidays’ for her family & often including the Spehar nephews and niece & their families and close family friends.

Donna is survived by her loving husband Robert “Bob”; children, Christine (Elden) Stenberg,  Gregory Spehar, Julie Spehar; her three grandchildren Katie (Joe) Perrault, Joshua and Josephine (Jozie) Nummi;  two great-grandchildren Liam & Mari Perrault. She will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be from 3 -5 pm at Dougherty Funeral Home February 24, 2019. Mass of Christian Burial  at 11 am Monday February 25 at St. Michaels Church, 4901 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN. Burial to follow lunch at Calvary Cemetery.

Donations to :  St. Michaels Church 4901 E Superior Street, Duluth, MN  55804 or

Duluth Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association 525 S Lake Avenue, Suite 214, Duluth, MN 55802

Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2 ^nd Street, Duluth, (218) 727-3555.