Dona Faith Macdonald Gudgell passed away peacefully in the company of her husband, Donald Gudgell, and her son, John Dallas Gudgell, on April 16, 2021, in Boise, Idaho.
The end of July 2020 Dona was flown to Boise for possible cancer treatment for active multiple myeloma. Near her 90th birthday on Sept. 10, Dona entered in-home hospice care in the Boise home of John Dallas Gudgell. Donald and John Dallas, along with the hospice care team, cared for Dona for the next 7½ months. In life, Dona was often characterized as bigger than life. While in hospice, her strong spirit beat the odds of a three-month prognosis by sheer will to add an extra 4½ months with steadfast presence.
Dona grew up on Poplar “Creek” 20 miles north of Poplar on the east side of the creek across from the Macdonald breaks with her parents, James and Nellie Macdonald, and sister, Dorothy. It was here Dona learned the ranch life of horses and cattle. She and her sister Dorothy were also gopher hunters for 'Daddy' (Jim).
Later, the family moved to Poplar and Dona attended Poplar High School where she was active and became a majorette.
Dona was a progressive, feminist career woman and single parent for 10 years in the 1960s — no small feat! Dona met husband Donald at Glasgow Air Force Base. They were later married at the Presbyterian church in Alameda, Calif., Aug. 23, 1969. Dona and Don celebrated 51 years together in August 2020.
Dona was an achiever. Her government service career spanned decades in the Air Force (civilian capacity), the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service. Her many advancements took her from Poplar to Glasgow, Mont., to Bethesda, Md., to Alameda, Calif., and finally Billings, Mont., where she later retired from the Indian Health Service as a respected equal employment opportunity officer.
Her dream was to return 'home' to Poplar to finish out her years which she did for the last 12 years of her life. Dona was a community leader for the Poplar Presbyterian Church and the Fort Peck Buffalo Program.
Dona is survived by her husband, Donald; her son, John Dallas; six grandchildren, Toni Smith, Jody Shafer, Melissa Berger, Lindsay Leno, Garen Gudgell and Andrea Faith Gudgell; nephews, Eddie Crowley and family and Darryl Crowley and family; niece, Connie Iverson and family; and great-niece, Tara Mastel and family.
Her funeral will be held May 16, 2021, in Poplar at the Presbyterian Church in a small family only service. Dona is resting at Clayton Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point.
(Paid Obituary)
