Dona Lowman, 87, Fairfield, died Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at home in her beloved Badlands, surrounded by her loving family. Dona’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, September 26, 2020 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Killdeer with Fr. Joseph Evinger as celebrant. Interment will take place at the Sentinel Butte Cemetery with Fr. Dan Berg presiding. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday at Ladbury Funeral Service. There will be a rosary and vigil at 6 p.m., Friday, September 25, 2020 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Deacon Dan Tuhy presiding.
Dona was born with her twin, Donald, on August 1, 1933, in Sentinel Butte to Mathias and Antoinette (Gass) Tescher. She was the 13th child of 15 and Dona and Donnie were the third set of twins. She was raised on the family farm and educated in Sentinel Butte, graduating in 1951. She attended Dickinson State and received her teaching degree. She taught in Ray, Westerheim, and Saint Philips country schools. She then taught at Pe Ell, WA, St. Wenceslaus, and Billings County schools. Later she loved teaching farm safety in the Stark and Billings County schools.
She met Mike Chuppe in Kansas City, KS, and they were married August 5, 1955. To this union four children were born: Mike, Greg, Steve, and Alicia. They lived in various states due to Mike’s work and ended up in Illinois. He died tragically in an accident in 1967 and Dona and the kids moved back to North Dakota.
Dona met James Lowman at a bunkhouse dance, and he swept her off her feet. They were married on April 7, 1969, and recently celebrated 51 years of marriage. Three sons were added to the family: Talus, and a set of twins, Kale and Kole. Jim taught and coached in Scranton, and then they moved to Trotters until 1977 when they purchased a ranch northwest of Fairfield and have resided there since. Dona loved the ranch life: horseback riding, berry picking, gardening, calving and hunting season.
Christmas Eve festivities, brandings, hunting season were all very special events for family and friends. Jim and Dona were very hospitable, often welcoming families for holidays and fellowship. In fact, at their 2020 branding, they fed 110 guests. They both love their family dearly and they never met a stranger. Dona was famous for her roast beef, berry pies, caramels, and sauerkraut and dumplings. She was dearly loved by many.
She loved being involved in church activities, cursillos, rodeos, dances, and family softball games. She also enjoyed traveling with trips to Mexico, Hawaii, Israel, Rome, Alaska, Manhattan, the Panama Canal, and off-roading excursions with Chuck and Marleen Lowman and friends. She was our “Glamma” and loved leopard print, fun western clothes, pretty shoes, and shopping trips with her girls.
Dona was warm and welcoming with a knack for cheering people up and making them feel better about themselves. She was spunky with lots of positive energy, and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Most importantly, she had a strong Christian faith, always willing to share a “God Bless” as a parting goodbye.
She is survived by her husband, Jim, and her children Mike (Shirley), Greg (Laurie), and Steve (Deb) Chuppe, Alicia (Perry) Redmond, Talus, Kale (Keely), and Kole Lowman. Grandchildren: Christine, Mikaela, Kristen, Alyssa, Jendi, Jayden, Brittany, Tenille, Sarah, Alexis, Matthew, Maya, Patrick, Lauren, Danya, Jonathan, Samantha, Seth, Colson, Elias, John, Benedict, Elaina, Mariah, Matthias, and Dominic, 36 great-grandchildren (three sets of twins) and three great great grandchildren and many “adopted” ones. She is also survived by her dear sister Alice Meginnes, as well as Betty Tescher, Lila Kalvoda, Chuck and Marleen Lowman, Bill and JoAnn Lowman and many nieces and nephews, and many dear friends who were like family. We are so thankful everyone who helped with her care.
She was preceded in death by her first husband Mike Chuppe, her parents, and brothers: Peter, Alvin, Toney, Tom, Jim, Donald and Mathias Tescher and sisters: Marie, Cecelia, Antoinette, Joan, Rosemarie and Rosalie.
Memorials can be made to Home on the Range, North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, or North Dakota Stockmen’s Association.
