Donna Mae (Bender) Kundinger

Donna M. Kundinger, age 89, of Marshfield, passed away Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at the home of her daughter, Lisa, in Plymouth, MN, surrounded by her family.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, January 6, 2023 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Marshfield.  Visitation will be held at the church two hours prior to service.   A private burial will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Marshfield.

Donna was born August 24, 1933, the daughter of Howard Bender and Margaret (Zrutskie) Bender in Dorchester, WI.  She graduated from Auburndale High School in 1951.   On September 8, 1956, Donna was united in marriage to DuWayne B. Kundinger at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Auburndale, WI.  They were married for 50 years at the time of DuWayne’s death in 2007.

After she graduated from high school, Donna was employed as a bank teller at the Auburndale State Bank and later became a loan officer at Central State Bank in Marshfield.  She worked there until Donna and DuWayne purchased Rembs Funeral Home in 1972.  They later purchased Sauter Funeral Home in Stratford and Martens Funeral Home in Junction City.  Donna and DuWayne operated the 3 funeral homes until their retirement in 1998, subsequently selling Rembs/Kundinger, Sauter/Kundinger and Martens/Kundinger Funeral Homes.

Donna enjoyed the game of golf for many years and was a member of Superstition Mountain Golf Club.  She and DuWayne enjoyed spending several months of the year at their home at Superstition Mountain, Arizona.  Those who knew Donna best, knew she enjoyed going to the casino and playing slots.  She always said she had a ‘secret system’ as she was often successful.

Donna is lovingly survived by her four children: Dr. Cheryl (Thomas) Draxler of Plymouth, MN; Dr. Kim (Dr. Robert Zavada) Kundinger of Naples, FL; Lisa (Andrew) Zeis of Plymouth, MN; and Jay (Tanya) Kundinger of Marshfield, WI.  She will be missed by her 8 grandchildren: Allyson Draxler (Darrell Cameron), Matthew Draxler (Kelly Eastwood Draxler), Brett Draxler, Alexa Zavada and Dr. Samantha Zavada, Jack Zeis, Connor Kundinger and Caitlin Kundinger and 3 great-grandchildren: Lucy, Bryn and Aydn Cameron. Donna is also survived by sisters-in-law: Karen Anthony and Linda Kundinger as well as nieces and nephews.
Donna is preceded in death by her husband DuWayne (“Dewey”), parents: Margaret Lucht and Howard Bender, as well as siblings: Lois Haupt and Gene Bender. She is also preceded in death by her brothers-in-law: Sylvester Haupt, John Kundinger, Howard Anthony, and Thomas Kraemer as well as sisters-in-law: Joan (Bender) Bauman and Marilyn Kraemer.

Those wishing to express their sympathy may do so via memorials to The Marshfield Medical Foundation.

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