Donna Mae Rickard

Donna Mae Rickard , 101, died May 9, 2015. She was born in Chico, California to Cipriana Genevieve Avalos and Elmer LaFonso on June 24, 1913. After she graduated from Chico High School, she attended Chemawa Indian School, taking typing and shorthand and became a secretary to the superintendent of the school. She met Fred Rickard there and they were married in 1935.

In 1950, they moved to Nespelem, Washington, on the Colville Indian reservation. She became secretary to the superintendent of the Colville Indian Agency, retiring after 37 years.

She enjoyed the activities of the Ladies Club at Nespelem. She was also a member of the Coulee Dam Yacht Club, and the Chemawa Alumni Association, where she served as secretary for several years.

After she retired, she and Fred enjoyed traveling to the southwest, going to Seahawks games, studying geology and drawing the family trees. She worked at the desk of the Grand Coulee Senior Center, the Grand Coulee Food Bank, and was a member of the Coulee Dam Community Presbyterian Church, where she was secretary and deacon, and she loved helping with the coffee hour.

She was a member of the Mechoopda Tribe of Chico, California. She was also a member of Weight Watchers. Her big love was going to and entering the Okanogan County Fair, taking cookies, breads, muffins, and baked items containing apples. And she won many blue and grand champion ribbons.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Fred, grandson, Dan, and niece, Juanita. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Jean Berney (Buzz), grandsons Joe (Alice Thompson), Raymond, Geral (Yvonne), great-granddaughters Nicole Rider (Leonard), Jessica (Benn), and Jade, great-great-grandsons, Ryland and Kyle, great-great-granddaughter, Meliah Cipriana.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Our House (cancer care facility), 1708 Castlerock Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801, Cancer Society, local food bank, historical/genealogy society, and do a good deed for a friend of neighbor.

Graveside services for Donna Mae will be held at Grand Coulee's Spring Canyon Cemetery, 2:00pm, Friday afternoon, May 15, 2015.

Please sign Donna Mae's on-line register book at http://www.stratefuneralhome.com. Strate Funeral Home of Grand Coulee is honored to be serving her family.