Donna Bline, 72, Dickinson, after a brief battle with end stage liver disease, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her children and went to be with Jesus on August 10, 2022. She joins her parents, Lester and Eleanor, her sister Lori, and her late husband, Kenneth Bline, who preceded her in death.
Donna Kaye was born December 31, 1949 in Dickinson, the daughter of Lester and Eleanor (Anton) Beaudoin. Growing up, Donna attended St. Patrick’s and then Trinity High School. She went to beauty school in Bismarck and while there, met John Schneider, who she married in April of 1969. They had two sons, Bruce and Michael, and she loved being a mom and homemaker. She was a talented home designer and created beautiful oil painting art pieces. After the marriage ended, she moved to Red Bluff, CA with some of her siblings and her two boys and lived there for several years. While there she started her own painting business and met and married Kenneth Bline who she always referred to as “the love of my life,”. After his death in 1995 she moved back to Dickinson to be with Bruce and Michael and their families, and her mom and family there. She continued painting and doing home design until she retired, spent time with her kids and family, and delighted on the arrival of each new granddaughter and then great-grandchild. Her family was her world. She was an expert friend-maker and anyone who knew her can confirm that she loved life. She loved with all her heart, played with all within her, worked like a maniac and frequently treated friends and family to gatherings in her home where she delighted everyone with her phenomenal cooking.
She loved her huge family of 14 brothers and sisters and their spouses, her many nephews and nieces, Bruce and Michael and her daughters-by-marriage, but ESPECIALLY, Donna was over the moon about her eight beautiful granddaughters, Keanna Heinen, Dakia Brown, Kierra Schneider, Teandra Schneider, Ava Schneider, Malayna Schneider, Xeia Schneider and Ykria Schneider, and her three great-grandchildren, Layken, Ronin and Emberly.
She loved people. She was an encourager to all and had a beautiful talent for accepting and loving everyone right where they were in life. She was outspoken, fun, strong, passionate and practical. Her tiny little body contained a personality three times her size and she had the spirit of a warrior.
She is gone at 72, but we are comforted by the fact that she lived every minute to the fullest and that we were able to honor her wish to remain in her home before going to meet Jesus. If you never met her, you missed out. She would’ve loved you.
She is survived by her sons, Bruce (Cebe) Schneider and Mike (Julie) Schneider; eight granddaughters; three great-grandchildren; siblings, Dave, Dickinson, Larry, Dickinson, Roger (Patti), Grand Junction, CO, Mark (Sandra), Boise, ID, Dale (Sharon), Dickinson, Carol (Bob) Ward, Red Bluff, CA, Linda Klemm, Laguna Woods, CA, Gloria (Frank) Conlon, Wickenburg, AZ, Jane Ogden, Citrus Heights, CA, Denae (Gary) McGregor, North Bend, WA, Brenda Frank, El Cajon, CA, Evon (Doug) Braun, Dickinson, and Lynn (Keith) Morey, Laguna Niguel, CA; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; parents; sister, Lori; and many aunts and uncles.
There will be a private service to celebrate Donna’s life.
