Saturday, October 31st, 2020
Madonna Prenger
Donna Prenger, 71, of Minster, Ohio was born on November 9th, 1948, to Wilfred B. Bergman and Juliana A. (Bensman) Bergman and grew up in Maria Stein, Ohio. She passed away peacefully on October 29, 2020, surrounded by her family.
She married Robert H. (Bob) Prenger on September 7, 1970, at St. John's Catholic Church in Maria Stein, Ohio. He survives in Minster, Ohio.
She was the beloved mother of Brian N. & Kimberly A. (Bollenbacher) Prenger, Todd R. & Heather M. (Schafer) Prenger, and Trina J. (Prenger) & Greg R. Huelsman. She cherished being a grandmother to Tori A. Prenger, Benjamin M. Prenger, Natalie K. Prenger, Lauren M. Prenger, Mitchell G. Huelsman, Erika M. Huelsman, and Alex R. Huelsman. She is survived by her loving sisters and brother: Pearl Bergman-Hamzeh & Kory Hamzeh (Los Angeles, CA), Rudy & Ann (Bergman) Garman (St. Henry), Wilfred V. Bergman (Maria Stein), Geralyn Bergman (Maria Stein), Elizabeth Bergman (Maria Stein); and her in-laws: Ron & Nina Prenger (Celina), Jim & Rie Prenger (Sierra Vista, AZ), Diane Cottrell (Denton, TX), and John Prenger (St. Marys). She had seventeen nieces and nephews.
Donna demonstrated a quiet strength throughout her courageous 29-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. Through her journey, she taught us all about perseverance, resilience, love of family, and the power of faith in overcoming life's obstacles.
She was preceded in death by her cousin and friend Bonnie Bensman, who was a role model to her in navigating cancer with grace, faith, and a positive mindset.
Donna was treated for 29 years by the Ohio State University James Cancer Treatment and Research Center and the family is eternally grateful to the doctors, nurses, and staff for the excellent care and kindness they afforded her. The family expresses their deep gratitude to the many friends and family who drove her to appointments in Columbus over the years. She thoroughly enjoyed her visits with all of you.
Over her 40-year career at Crown Equipment Corporation, Donna served as a paralegal where her strong work ethic and dedication to quality shone through.
She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church for over 50 years. She loved singing in the St. Augustine Mixed Choir and Folk group for 30 years. Heaven's choir of angels surely sounds prettier today with the addition of her beautiful alto voice. She also contributed to fundraising for a variety of cancer-related charities.
In the interest of sustaining the health of the community amidst the pandemic, the family has chosen to celebrate her life at a private funeral Mass for immediate family.
In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated in her memory to The Ohio State University James Cancer Treatment and Research Center, Hospice of Miami County (At Upper Valley Medical Center), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or St. Augustine Catholic Church.
