Donna Lynn Kisiloski

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Donna Kisiloski, aged 72 years, beloved wife of the late Garry Kisiloski, at Grace Hospital on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Donna Kisiloski was born Donna Lynn Boivin June 5, 1952 in Winnipeg. She was 1 of 8 children to Theresa and Wilfred (Buck) Boivin. Growing up in Winnipeg’s 1960’s North End she found herself surrounded by a blossoming music scene and was in the company of members of the Guess Who, Neil Young and many other up and coming Winnipeg bands. Donna loved music and this external influence brought her to find she had a singing voice; her older brother Wayne Boivin was an in demand local musician so she quickly found herself singing back up in local bars and community clubs. Donna also decided to find a career as a hair stylist/beautician, a job she loved. When her son Jason was born, Donna as always fierce driven and trying to get ahead, realized she needed to earn more money for her new family, so while also working nights at Phillips 66 gas station she attended Red River community college to pursue a bookkeeping degree. Donna’s hard work paid off upon successfully completing her degree she was also awarded the Governor Generals award for outstanding achievement one of only 3 people and the only women. Armed with her degree in hand and her future wide open she took a job as an office manager and leasing agent at Translease where she sold, rented and leased heavy trucks and took care of the books. Donna loved to drive and had a 1966 Impala super sport convertible, one day a coworker asked her for a ride to a coed softball game held by her company, they asked her to fill in and play where on a chance meeting she met her future husband, Garry. It was a whirlwind romance that lasted until his passing in 2017. 

Throughout the years Donna advanced her career in the heavy truck industry working as body shop service writer and assistant manager. Later in life when a change in ownership of the company she worked for found her in a downsize, she again found that drive to accel and set her sites on entrepreneurship. With little to no money Donna and her sister Joan set their sights on the Tyndall Grocery store that had come up for sale. Through the years Donna became the sole owner of the store working with her son and husband to cut meat, deliver mail, and even offered a local grower’s section for farmers to sell fresh grown items and delivered groceries to seniors in the Tyndall Garson area. Never one to stop forging ahead after many years Donna sold Tyndall grocery and took a job managing a large customer support call center where she stayed for many years. Again, seeking to stir things up Donna decided to make her own way again and started D&G Greenhouses in Tyndall where she found a passion for flowers, vegetables and anything that would grow, Donna would revel in February every year excited about seeding out flowers and vegetables, she always had the largest flowers and vegetables ready to go for mothers day every year, she was especially proud of the hand painted signs done by her granddaughter Jillian. Donna would also find herself looking for ways to fill up the off season so for many years she worked at the Coop in Beausejour where she worked until retirement. Donna spent her retirement enjoying gardening, tending to her flower beds and was always on the hunt for another unique solar light, garden butterfly or gnome; her collection bordered on obsession. 

Donna spent many decades as an avid curler never missing the big annual show down in Bisset with friends and family members. She also loved her cross border shopping trips with her daughter-in-law Jeannie. They were precision shoppers looking for all the best deals and warriors on their annual Black Friday trips that consisted of buckets of coffee, long lines and then a girls hot tub session. Donna also continued to sing and play music. Every holiday was always a huge jam session with her husband, son, grandson, brother and sister and brother-in-law with an impromptu concert in the basement or garage. She enjoyed crafting, gardening and painting with her granddaughter and pushing her grandson to learn how to master yard care and his guitar playing skills so he could play for her. Donna also had enormous love for animals. She was always rescuing lost cats and dogs and reveled over watching and keeping track of all the different species of birds in her yard. She would tailor feeders specific to each group so she could watch them in the morning, usually over a coffee with a piece of toast and Cheez whiz. Her only concern being the chipmunks were stealing the birdseed, so Donna would set up another feeder for just the chipmunks so they would leave her birds alone. 

Donna lived her life with passion, commitment and dedication and sometimes took up a lot of space but would always help anyone in need and was very trusting and would give a stranger a helping hand if they needed it, often to a fault.

Donna was predeceased by her husband Garry Kisiloski. She is survived by her son Jason Podolsky, (Jeannie Podolsky), grandchildren Jordan and Jillian Podolsky, sister Sharon Luder (Rene Luder) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place.  Interment will take place in the Tyndall Cemetery Columbarium.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com