Donna G Neubecker-Rau

Donna Glee Sutton Neubecker-Rau passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 5, 2013 at Bortz Health Care in Rose City, MI. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She has gone home to reunite with all her family who have gone before her. We will all meet again someday. Donna lived in West Branch her entire life. She was born on January 13, 1925 on the family farm on Pettit Road, Selkirk, MI. to Louis and Marie (Steele) Sutton. Donna was very active in her younger days and she loved sports either participating or watching. She enjoyed downhill skiing, tobogganing, ice skating, roller skating, and swimming. While attending West Branch High School, she played basketball for the SHOEMAKERS 5¢ to $1.00 Store as #3. Donna graduated with the Class of 1944. She also loved dancing and playing cards. In and around 1949, she had her own softball team, “Donna’s Deers”. She was also on the court for the Clement Carnival Queen in Gladwin County. She and her late husband Leo had a love for snowmobiling for a few years going with their friends to eat in Luzerne. They went to their sons’ baseball games and Tom’s basketball games. She went ice fishing with her husband and son Tom. While still in high school she worked for the Gamble Store, and Herman Bench’s Country Store. After graduation she worked in stores in downtown West Branch, Weinberg’s Dept. Store (Norman’s Clothing Store) for 2 years or more. Marty Blumenthal saw a little girl walking past his store quite often, he called her in to work for him for a few years. For some reason she went back to Norman’s, then back to Marty’s to work for 15 to 20 years. She sold Avon for seven years and worked door to door for the Cancer Drive. She retired from the West Branch School District’s Food Service Department after 10 years and volunteered for 16 years in Mrs. Emily Warnecke’s kindergarten class room. She was a member of M.A.R. S.P. (Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel ) and TOPS - WOW. She was a member of Holy Family Church and St. Theresa’s Guild where she worked bingos and funeral dinners. She took care of her parents and her in-laws and did babysitting, all while taking care of her own family of four children and helping Leo on their farm on Finerty Road. She married Leo J. Neubecker on February 15, 1952 in West Branch, MI, who predeceased her in death on November 13, 1991. They had four children all who survived her: Jean Neubecker, Ronald (Deb) Neubecker, Mary (Tim) Winter and Thomas (Christi) Neubecker all living in West Branch. She leaves behind ten grandchildren: Anthony (Jami) Neubecker of Grand Blanc, Janette (Terry) Miles of West Branch, Jennifer (Chris Nelson) Zimmer of Rose City, Joseph (Amanda Barrett) Zimmer, Rachel (Justin) Ackerman, Craig (Brittany Hasse) Winter, Stephenie ( Jason Bragg), Hunter and Ty Neubecker all of West Branch and Amanda Neubecker of Los Angles, California. Eleven great grandchildren: Ashley Neubecker of Saginaw, Jacob Neubecker of Grand Blanc, Kyle Zimmer of East Lansing, Kaylyn Zimmer, Aleesa Miles of West Branch; Cody Reed of Rose City; Wyatt Barrett, Morgan Barrett, Marshall Donovan, Josie Zimmer and Ciarra Winter all of West Branch and one great -great grandson just 3 weeks old Colin (Zimmer) Few of West Branch. She is also survived by two step-grand daughters Julia and Jenny Kaake and their families. And her only surviving sibling Sidney (Milt) and his wife Pat Sutton of Houghton Lake, and her sisters in-laws June Sutton of Roscommon, Mary Sutton of West Branch, Carrie Sutton of Troy, Sharon Neubecker of West Branch and Josephine Neubecker of Gaylord. On July 18, 2000, Donna married Robert C. Rau, Sr. of West Branch, he survives her. Along with his four children Diane (Ron) Bartlett of Sterling, Sue (Randy) Wangler, Robert (Debbie) Rau and Mark (Vicki) Rau all from West Branch and their families. They lived in his family home at Cedar Lane Farm on State Road. Donna and Bob loved to travel to his cabins at Higgins Lake and Cedarville. They took many bus tours to New England, Florida, Branson, Missouri and different places around Michigan. They would go dancing at the Senior Center and play cards any chance they got. She was predeceased as mentioned by her first husband and the love of her life Leo and her granddaughter Leesa Neubecker. Her parents Louis and Marie Sutton, her siblings Ladena and Neil Schaaf, Cameron Sutton, Crandell (Skip) Sutton and Ronald Sutton. And her in-laws Henry and Mae Neubecker, and her brothers and sisters in-laws Ray and Frances Neubecker, Ray (Ki) and Gladys Stephens, Roy and Maxine Neubecker, Robert Neubecker and LaVern (Cork) Neubecker. Donna’s biggest love and passion was her family. She was loved by all and will be greatly missed. Our family gatherings won’t be the same without her, but we will continue making memories. The family would like to thank Bortz Health Care and Hospice of Helping Hand for the care that they gave our mother, Steurnol McLaren Funeral Home for their services, and the ladies of the church who provided the funeral dinner. Visitation will be Sunday, July 7th, 2013 at Steuernol and McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch from 2:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. with a rosary service at 2:30 P.M. Services will be Monday at Holy Family Catholic Church with visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M. and services at 11:00 A.M. with Father Patrick Maher offering. Burial will be at Holy Family Cemetery. Donations can be made to Hospice of Helping Hands or the Ogemaw Senior Center.