Dona-Rae (Miller) Baumgart, 66, of Kenosha, passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at Froedtert Lutheran Memorial Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Born in Milwaukee, WI, on September 8, 1945, she was the only daughter of Rose A. and Charles Miller. Having an unusual name, she always explained that her father, a veteran, named her after two merchant marines (Don and Rae) that saved his life.
She went to school at Carthage College and majored in music performance and education. She went on to become a beautiful opera singer and soon after realized her love for teaching.
Dona-Rae would never have known that walking into a laundry mat would have changed her life forever. Roman P. Baumgart, noticing her a few times before, had decided to empty out all the quarters from the machine to get that chance to speak to the women he would share the next 37 years with. And it worked! On June 15, 1974, they were married in an evening ceremony lit by hundreds of white candles and honeymooned on the shores of Hawaii where they love vacationing.
A member of Grace Lutheran Church, she was a very active member of the Masonic Lodge’s Order of the Eastern Star, White Shrine and Jobs Daughters.
Surviving are her husband, Roman of Kenosha; three daughters, Deborah (Douglas) Wolf of Seattle, WA, and Kelly and Mary Baumgart, both of Kenosha.
She was preceded in death by her cousin, Dale A. Fisher; extended family, Jim Smith and Doris Gebert; and her mother, Rose A. Miller, who will all meet her in heaven.
She was talented and giving, a women of power and grace, and loving to so many. She will be missed and will forever live in our minds and hearts.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, the 19th of April, at Proko Funeral Home at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will be held on Thursday at the funeral home from 4:00 p.m. until the time of the service.
Proko Funeral Home & Crematory
5111-60th Street
Kenosha, WI 53144
Phone: (262) 654-3533
Visit Dona-Rae's Online Memorial Book at:
www.prokofuneralhome.com