Donna Hansen Neider

Donna Hansen Neider passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on July 15, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born in a little farmhouse in Newdale, Idaho on December 15, 1923 to Antone Vernstine Hansen and Stella Butler Hansen. When Donna was two, her family moved to Lavaside, Idaho just outside Blackfoot. Donna was 15 when her family moved to Tyhee, Idaho. Soon after, she met Boyd Neider in Tyhee and a year later they eloped in 1940. The Tyhee farming community became the most important part of life for the Neider family. Together Boyd and Donna raised their six children in Tyhee: Kenneth Boyd (Margo Yates) of Idaho Falls, Idaho; Andrea Leona Neider Crowley (Rich Crowley) of Culpeper, VA; Michael Antone (Rosemary Curtis ) of Draper, Utah; Mark Lee (Renee Hobson) of Pocatello, Idaho; Julie Neider Selders (deceased) (Jack Selders) of Murray, Utah; and, Darryl Leroy (Anna Marie Hunt) of Granite, Utah. Boyd and Donna and their children were later sealed in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

Boyd and Donna owned and ran the IGA store in Tyhee for many years which further connected their family to the Tyhee and Fort Hall communities. When the store was sold, Donna went to work for Garrett Freightlines until she retired.

Donna's entire life centered around her family, faith, and friends. She was generous and never met a stranger. She loved everyone. She was knowledgeable and proud of her pioneer and American heritage and was always interested in the politics of the day. She was very patriotic and loved her red white and blue.

She had many hobbies which she enjoyed throughout her life. She loved reading and writing and music, and was often called upon for musical and theatrical productions in the church community. One of her favorite activities was participating in the Tyhee Literary Guild with her dear friends. She also loved oil painting, mainly Southern Utah landscapes, and China painting. She also enjoyed history and was an accomplished horse woman who rode with the Silver Sage Riders (a women's drill posse) for many years. She was a prolific quilter (like her mom and sisters) and made quilts for her children and for each grandchild in their high school's colors when they graduated.

Boyd served as the Bishop of the 33rd Ward in Pocatello with Donna right by his side supporting and loving each and every ward member (or pushing from behind). She was famous for her German chocolate cakes. Boyd and Donna started spending winters in St. George, Utah, but interrupted their snow-bird time to serve a mission at the LDS Employment Center in Pocatello.
When Donna's daughter, Julie, died in 2000, Donna moved to the Salt Lake City area to be near Julie's young sons to help out. She volunteered at their elementary school everyday until they moved into junior high. She was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award from the school district during this time. Donna loved working on the computer well into her 80's and kept herself and others busily engaged in her many projects. Over the past six years, she was also a key attraction at the opening of one of her son's 26 Five Guys restaurants in California, Idaho, Oklahoma, and Utah where everyone loved her Five Guys "costume" and enjoyed her enthusiastic interaction. More recently, Donna lived at Assisted Living of Draper, Utah where she loved her care center family who loved and treated her so well. A special thanks to all of her caregivers, especially Don, Hannah, Casey, Leslie, Marcia and Susan.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband Boyd; daughter, Julie; three grandchildren, Brant, Thomas Boyd and Jennifer; her parents; a brother Arvel Hansen; and a sister Vella Mecham. She is survived by two sisters, June and Helen five of her children, 28 grandchildren, and 69 great grandchildren.

Donna's family will receive family and friends from 6-8 p.m. at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 West Chubbuck Road in Chubbuck, Idaho on Friday, July 25th. A celebration of Donna's life will be held on July 26th at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center at 4890 Whitaker Road, Chubbuck, Idaho with a viewing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be at the Grove City Cemetery in Blackfoot, Idaho.