Donna R. Ewer

Donna Renée Ewer
December 12, 1949 – December 29, 2025
Donna Renée Ewer, a woman defined by her devotion to family, her community, and her faith, passed away following a courageous journey with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on December 12, 1949, to Ronald and Birdyne Hedges, Donna grew up in the close-knit community of Mansfield, South Dakota. After high school, she met Richard “Dick” Ewer and they were married on December 27, 1970, at the First Presbyterian Church of Aberdeen, SD. They moved to Council Bluffs, IA, where their sons, Darin and Deric, were born. A few years later they built a home in Springfield, NE, where the rest of their children were born—Danny and Darci—and remained for nearly five decades.

Donna was a stay at home mom. When her children reached school age, she began driving the school bus for students with special needs. Her commitment to her community was further solidified in 1989 when she served on the School Board for District #46 (now Springfield Platteview Community Schools). A woman of deep faith, Donna was a pillar of the First United Methodist Church of Springfield. She led Sunday school and vacation bible school, directed music, and alongside Dick, was a constant presence in small groups and volunteered at events. The relationships they forged within their church remained some of the most cherished of her life. After the kids were grown, Dick and Donna became a member at King of Kings Church, where they rarely missed a Sunday service.

In her later professional years, Donna worked for Oriental Trading Company and the American Red Cross. Even in retirement, she stayed active, working alongside Dick at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, where her warm smile became a fixture in the Pie Barn.

Following the passing of her best friend and husband, Dick, in April 2021, Donna moved to Countryhouse Memory Care in January 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ronald and Birdyne Hedges, and her brother, David Hedges. She is survived by her children: Darin Ewer, Deric (Jami) Ewer, Danny (Deanna) Ewer, and Darci (Matt) Mangelsen, grandchildren: Morgan, Kole, Nathan, Taylor, Cora, Calvin, and Carina, and great granddaughter Lakelyn. She is also survived by her brother, Dennis Hedges of Sterling, CO.

Visitation: Friday, January 2nd from 2-4 pm at Braman Mortuary Millard Chapel, 6505 S 144th St., Omaha, NE
Celebration of Donna's Life: Friday, January 2nd at 4 pm with a reception to follow, also at Braman Mortuary Millard Chapel