Donna Aussem

Donna Aussem, 79, of Ottawa, passed away Friday, December 30, 2011 at her home surrounded by her family. Mass of Christian Burial for Donna will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at St. Patrick's Church in Ottawa, with the Rev. Joseph Donton officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2012 with prayers at 4:00 p.m. at Ottawa Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery. Donna was born August 30, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois to Elmer and Stella (Galloway) Fitzgerald. She married Charles A. Aussem on October 2, 1954 at St. Mary's Church in Dimmick. He died December 19, 2006. She was a member of St. Patrick's Church in Ottawa. She graduated from Marquette High School and St. Mary's School of Nursing. She was a registered nurse who had worked at the Ryburn King Hospital and the Ottawa Medical Center. She is survived by two daughters, Mary (John) Levy of Ottawa and Cathy (Dennis) Kennedy of Sarasota, Florida; five sons, Charles, Daniel (Susan), Timothy (Luanne), and Steven, all of Ottawa, and Michael (Sandra) of Palatine; twenty grandchildren, Charles, Stephanie, Daniel, Steven, Jeffery, Michael, Emily, and Lauren Aussem, Melanie Walk, Melissa Brate, Sara Bretag, Jennifer Leigh, Edward, Bridgette, and Tyler Levy, John and Catibeth Poggi, Luke Kennedy, Sean Kennedy, and Michael Melanson; eight great-grandchildren, Gianna and Avery Leigh, Logan Cheatham, Ashley Bretag, Sophia Walk, John Wm. Poggi, Dakota Rae Levy, and Taylor McGinnis. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her sister, Dolores "Dodie" Siebert; and her aunt that raised her, Mary Ellen Fitzgerald. Donna's grandsons will serve as the Pallbearers. Memorials may be directed to donors' choice.