Donna Lou (Roness) Gochanour

Jan. 29, 1936-July 26, 2023

Donna Lou Gochanour of Newcastle, Wyoming, passed away at Mondell Heights Retirement Community in Newcastle on July 26, 2023, from Alzheimer’s Disease, with family by her side.

She was born in Noonan, North Dakota, on Jan. 29, 1936, to Agnes Ethel (Sathern) and Arthur Art Roness. She was the oldest of three children, joined by her brothers, Larry Roness in 1937, and Noel “Butch” Roness in 1938.

She grew up in Noonan, where she met Lowell Boyd Gochanour, whom she married on Nov. 29, 1952. Boyd joined the U.S. Air Force, and the couple’s adventure began. Randall, was born in 1953, Laurie in 1955, Kevin in 1956, and Amy, in 1960.

While serving as a military wife, Donna traveled the U.S. multiple times as they moved from duty station to duty station, including a tour at Evreaux-Fauville Air Base, France. With Boyd away often, Donna learned to be self-sufficient and independent, learning home repair skills she would use throughout her life.

The Gochanours’ final station was at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Boyd then became a bush pilot, and together they built Montana Creek Airstrip, in Willow, Alaska, a community hub and access point for people flying in and out of remote areas.

She and Boyd divorced in 1987. Not long after that, she moved to Newcastle to be nearer family. Shortly after moving to Wyoming, she moved in with her companion and sweetheart, Duffy Dow.

Donna was always artistic, and in Alaska pursued her painting career. She was a founding member of Gallery 20 and United Alaskan Artists. Her scenic paintings have been sold since the 1970s, gracing homes across the U.S. and beyond.

Donna worked diverse jobs throughout her life. She was a bar manager (and sometimes bouncer) in a roadhouse in Talkeetna, Alaska, assembly line worker in Ohio, waitress in North Dakota, census worker in Wyoming, and kept books at multiple businesses, to name a few. She was a multi-talented woman. She was an amazing storyteller, too, always regaling everyone with some comical anecdote about her life experiences across the years and miles. In her later years, she was encouraged to write for the News Letter Journal senior page. Along with interviews, each week she wrote columns, rich with stories of her life in North Dakota, her trip to Nome with the Iditarod Air Force (Iditarod sled dog race support team), building and outfitting a remote cabin in Alaska, bargaining with a rug salesman in France, and so many oft-hilarious slices of life. These columns, along with her years of faithful diary entries, letters, and cassette tapes sent to family, hold cherished tales of a life well lived.

Donna volunteered her time and talent throughout her life: Boy Scouts Den Mother, president of the Montana Creek Dog Mushers Club, secretary for United Alaskan Artists and Willow Community Center, and volunteer for Meals on Wheels at the senior center, to name a few. She would help anyone in need, going above and beyond time and again for family and friends.

Donna was very patriotic, and proud of her 21 years of service to the U.S. Air Force as a military wife. She was an avid reader, and loved to dance.

“Mom was a jack-of-all-trades, and known for being a spitfire. What Mom said, goes, and no one ever questioned that,” said her family. “Her Norwegian stubbornness shone through to her last days, but she is finally at peace and free from this disease.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Art and Ethel Roness; brother, Butch Roness; granddaughter, Julie Menerey; and son-in-law, John Bumgarner.

Donna is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Sharon Roness of Newcastle; sons, Kevin Gochanour of Newcastle and Randall Gochanour of Wasilla, Alaska; daughter and son-in-law, Amy Menerey (Dan) Runestad of Custer, South Dakota; daughter, Laurie Bumgarner of Newcastle; grandsons, Jason Menerey of Wyoming, and Jeremy Menerey of Wasilla, Alaska; granddaughters, Wendy Haverfield and Tracy Bumgarner of Anchorage, Alaska, and Esther Gochanour of Washington; great-grandchildren, Aksel Scott, Makayla Scott, Aria Maynard, Kaylee Menerey, Sean Menerey, Kandus Lee, and Jashawa Lamb; great-great-granddaughter, Presley Oxholm; and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Donna on Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at VFW Post 2516 in Newcastle to share stories of this feisty, loving, little lady. Cremation has taken place, and her ashes will be scattered at a later date. Arrangements are in care of Meridian Mortuary, 111 S. Railway Ave., Newcastle WY 82701. Condolences may be sent in care of Kevin Gochanour, 224 W. Winthrop, Newcastle WY 82701.

In honor of her fondness of all living things, donations in Donna’s name can be made to any animal rescue group.