LaDonna M. Brummund

LaDonna May Brummund, age 81 of Mankato, was received into the arms of Jesus, Monday, November 21, 2016 at Crystal Seasons in Lake Crystal, MN.  

Funeral service will be 11:30a.m., Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1103 N Broad Street, Mankato. Visitation will take place from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Mankato Mortuary is assisting the family.

LaDonna was born Nov 27, 1934 to Otto & Doris (Oachs) Schwantes of Good Thunder.  She was baptized Jan. 13, 1935 and confirmed March 21, 1948 at St John’s Lutheran Church in Good Thunder. She grew up on the family farm, graduating from Good Thunder High School on May 29, 1952.    On January 24, 1953 she married Arnold Brummund. They made their home in Mankato where they raised their three children.  In 1970 the family moved to Lake Washington where they entertained many family and friends. After their children married, they moved back to Mankato. 

LaDonna worked in food service all her adult life.  Between 1962 and 1967 she worked at Mankato’s first deli at Madsen’s Value Center.  She then became a cook manager at Franklin School, Dist. 77.  During her 30 year career, she spent 17 years on the board of Minnesota School Food Service Association holding various offices, including President, traveling throughout the United States.  LaDonna was also an instructor of state certification classes for food service throughout Southern Minnesota for 20 years. She promoted Heart Health workshops and nutrition locally, through the State of Minnesota and national groups. She was involved with parents and children through Community Ed programs, including Christmas cookie classes and building ginger bread houses.  She can be remembered by her novelty monthly birthday cakes for the school children. LaDonna loved all the children. Helping them have fun and making them happy became the major focus of her career.

LaDonna loved to host family and friends at their home in Mankato and also at their cabin at Park Rapids. If you were invited, you were one of the lucky ones.  Every one of her children and grandchildren have wonderful memories of spending quality time with their grandparents. She spoiled everyone with specially decorated birthday cakes and wedding cakes as they became more extravagant every year.  Making Christmas cookies at Grandma’s was a yearly event.  As soon as they could stand at the table each grandchild received their own cookie dough to roll out, bake, decorate, and then take home. When the grandchildren were older, it was a Christmas Village of gingerbread houses which was featured in the Mankato Free Press. Of course, all of the pieces were baked ahead of time, the frosting and candies waiting for the fun to begin.  If she wasn’t in the kitchen she was fishing with Arnie and a grandkid or two.

In 2012, LaDonna and Arnold moved to Crystal Seasons assisted living.

LaDonna is survived by her husband, Arnold Brummund; her son, Mark (friend Kathy Derner) Brummund of Milford, IA; daughter, Joy (Arlen) Maloney of Madelia, MN; and daughter Becki (Ronnie) Schmitz of Belle Plaine, MN.  She was blessed with 7 grandchildren, Matthew (Christi) Maloney, Bobbi (Jim) Kuball, Cindy (Aaron) Ellis, Kristina (Chris) Moore, Russell (Susan) Maloney, Teresa (Mark) Bechtold, Bridget (Eric) Backman; 15 great-grandchildren; four siblings, Joanne Nelson of New Ulm, and Janice Holmgren, William Schwantes, and Vickie Siirtola of the Mankato area; a sister-in-law, Arvellis Morrow; along with many nieces and nephews.  

She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Shirley Bluhm; and a great-grandson, Grant Maloney.