Donna June Gutke

Idaho Falls-Donna June Leavitt Gutke, 86, a former Shelley resident, died September 15, 2014, at the Gables nursing home in Ammon.

She was born May 19, 1928, in Taylor Idaho, to Merrill Roy Leavitt and Agnes Elinor Sessions.  She attended schools in Idaho Falls and graduated from Shelley High School.

On September 1, 1951, she married William J. Gutke in Shelley.  Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

Following their marriage they moved to several cities in Arizona where Bill helped build golf courses.  They lived in Spokane, and Moses Lake, Washington for a short time, then back to Shelley.

Later Donna worked for the RT French Co., The LDS Hospital, and the LDS Temple where she retired after 15 years.

After her husband died in 1998, she moved to Idaho Falls to be closer to her children and the Temple.

An active member of the LDS church, she served as a teacher in the Sunday School and Primary.  She loved being a part of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.  She loved more than anything, her children and grandchildren.  She also loved reading especially the scriptures and LDS books, doing family history and Temple work. She liked to do beadwork, crochet and travel with her sisters and brother.

Survivors include her children, Ron (Karen) Gutke of Shelley, Donalyn (Randy) Skidmore of Idaho Falls, Michael (Laura) Gutke of Rexburg and Cheri (Daren) Wheeler of Idaho Falls. Two sister Marilyn (Neil ) Gambell of Kearney, Arizona, Shirlene Sargent of Shelley and a brother Bob Leavitt of Montana, 23 Grandchildren;  50 Great Grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband William J. Gutke, and a son William Jay Gutke.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 22, 2014 at the Shelley Stake Center (325 East Locust Street). The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 6:00 till 8:00 p.m. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 West Oak) in Shelley and Monday morning from 9:30 till 10:40 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Taylor Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Donna Gutke Memorial Fund at Beehive Federal Credit Union, 1650 E Sunnyside Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho  83404.