Donna Elaine (Bestor) Gartner

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday June 29, 2017 at Preston United Methodist Church with Pastor Michael Smith officiating. Burial will be at the United Methodist Cemetery in Preston, MN. Visitation will be 1 hr. prior to the service at the church.

Donna Elaine (Bestor) Gartner, age 87, of Preston died June 24, 2017 at Seasons Hospice in Rochester with family at her side.

Donna Elaine Bestor was born November 24, 1929 in Greenleafton, MN to Ernest and Pearl (Dornick) Bestor; she attended a country school and Preston High School. On December 7, 1946 she was united in marriage to Keith R. Gartner. They lived on the family farm near Preston until 1955 when they moved into Preston. Donna worked for the Preston Republican, the City of Preston, and Preston Public Utilities. She was a past board member of the Fillmore County Cancer Society and served on the board at the Care Center for home health care. Donna was an ambulance attendant, board member of the Preston Area Community Foundation, and an active member of the Preston United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, served on the church council, and was a long time member of the group United Methodist Women. She enjoyed spending time with family, listening to music, crocheting, reading, and attending bible study. 

Donna is survived by her daughter, Patricia Mattson of Rushford, MN, Lynn Mattson of Peterson, MN; two sons, David (Jan) of Grove, OK and Randy (Lori) of Rochester MN; daughter-in-law Grace Gartner of Tucson, AZ; 11 Grandchildren; 19 Great-Grandchildren; 1 Great-Great-Grandson; three sisters, Shirley Fingerson and Charlotte (Phillip) Goldsmith of Fountain, MN as well as Diane (George) Nagel of Stewartville, MN; and sister-in-law Arlene Bestor (Spring Valley, MN). She is preceded in death by her husband Keith, parents, grandparents, five brothers, two sister-in-laws, and one brother-in-law. 

 Service Information