Donna Rae Mickelsen

Donna Rae Mickelsen, age 76, beloved mother, wife, and grandmother, passed away on September 25, 2019, after a short illness.

Donna was born on July 13, 1943, to Donald and Elise Meyer, as the second of four siblings. She grew up on her family's 100-acre farm in Anchor, Illinois. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, receiving a degree in English in 1965. Shortly after graduating, she married Brent Mickelsen of Sandy, Utah, whom she met at Yellowstone National Park, where she worked summers during college. She moved to Utah and became a ninth-grade English teacher. She especially loved teaching Shakespeare to her students. She received an English teacher of the year award in 1979 when she worked at Midvale Middle School. In 1982, she completed a Master's Degree in Education and an EdD in Educational Leadership, and took a job as assistant principal at Riverton Middle School, then later at West Jordan Middle School, where she worked until she retired in 2000. She returned to teaching for a few years after retirement, for a total of over 40 years in education. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma education society and served at different times as chapter president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Donna was also a lifelong Lutheran and active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

She was preceded in death by her beloved mother and father, sister Carol Ann Litzner, and brother Gary Meyer. She is survived by her husband, Brent Mickelsen; brother, Philip Meyer; daughters Mary Jacobs, Denise Peden, and Adrianne Mickelsen; and five grandchildren: Conrad, Elise, Avalina, Madeleine, and Landon.

Services will be held on Friday, October 4 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 8575 S. 700 E., Sandy, UT 84070; viewing at 10:00 a.m., services at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Donna's name to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, www.bcrf.org .