Donna E. Boens

Donna E. Boens, 91, of Coal Valley, Illinois, passed from this life on September 20, 2022 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 26, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Visitation is 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Trimble Funeral Home, Moline, with a Prayer Service at 2:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church.

It was August 28, 1931 in Coal Valley, Illinois when Everett and Dorothy (Baraks) Cook welcomed their beautiful daughter into this world. They named her Donna.

She grew up in Coal Valley, attending High School there and working part time at a local grocery store. It was in High School that she met Richard Boens and the two of them were married on August 14, 1955 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Milan. Donna became a farmer’s wife, housewife and mother to three children, Greg, Dorrie and Pam. Even though she wasn’t too keen on the idea of country life, she moved to the farm with Richard and together they raised their children along with crops of corn, soybeans and hogs. For years, if you drove by their farm, you would see Donna mowing their large yard on her riding mower. She brought food to Richard and his hands while they worked in the fields, took care of the finances for the home and farm and tried to keep Richard in line!

Donna and Richard loved traveling to NASCAR races, fishing and spending time with friends, but probably more than anything, Donna loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. As long as their health allowed, they attended as many of their grandchildren’s activities as possible. She was an excellent cook and would bring everyone in for meals with her own unique, “Yoo-Hoo!” (This was only slightly more common than her patented, “Riiichaard!!”) She loved playing cards, going to the casino and, when her health allowed, going to Kolona, Iowa with her girlfriends.

Donna and Richard were married for 61 years when Richard preceded her in death on May 4, 2016, and they enjoyed life to the fullest.

She is survived by her three children, Gregory Boens of Coal Valley, Dorrie (Lance) Love of Helena, Montana, and Pamela (John) Dobbels of Coal Valley; along with grandchildren, Wade Boens of Coal Valley, Matt Boens of Orion, Chelsey (Robert) McDaniel of Temple, Texas, Tashia (Alec) Kerins of Missoula, Montana, Carly Boens of Dubuque, Iowa, and Maddie Dobbels of Coal Valley; and great-grandchildren, Harper McDaniel, Summit Kerins and Lark Kerins. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Dave; and her loving husband, Richard.

Donna was truly a sweetheart, loved by all who knew her, and will be missed by so many whose lives she touched.

Online condolences may be shared at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.