Obituary
Donna Griffel
January 18th, 1929 - October 30th, 2025
Donna Phillips Griffel died peacefully on October 30, 2025, at the Ashton Living Center.
Donna Phyllis Phillips was born on January 18, 1929, to Walter A. and Lydia Reimann Phillips at Marysville, Idaho. She grew up with four siblings and attended both Marysville and Ashton schools. She graduated from Ashton High School in 1947. During the summer of 1948, she traveled by train to Idaho Falls where she attended the Idaho Falls Business College. Her first jobs included rouging peas and potatoes, then later working as a teller at the Yellowstone Bank in Ashton and bookkeeping for Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative.
Donna married Henry C Griffel on January 6, 1951, at her family home, with Rev. Theo Riedel officiating. She and Henry built their home in the Squirrel area and farmed with Henry’s family until 1967. At that time they purchased the Howe Lumber Company in Ashton, renaming it H.G. Lumber and Hardware. Donna dedicated her life to making it a successful business, including the construction of a new store building in 1991. She was a long time member of Zion Lutheran Church and took pride in her family’s history with the Lutheran Church in the Ashton area. When Donna wasn’t working at the Lumber Store she could be found tending her flower and vegetable gardens. She also enjoyed playing cards, camping and traveling with Henry, but her real passion was picking huckleberries.
Donna is survived by her children; Nancy (Jack) Marotz, Phyllis (Ted) Sturm, Carla Kaye (Mark) Kuehl, Richard (Julie) Griffel; eleven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; brothers, Victor (Thelma) Phillips, Glenn (Mary) Phillips, Josh (Pat) Phillips; and sister, Lida (Ira) Harrigfeld.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 7, at Zion Lutheran Church at 9th and Main Street in Ashton. A visitation will be held at the church one hour preceding the service. Interment will be in the Squirrel Cemetery immediately following the service.
The family wishes to give a special thank you to the caregivers at the Ashton Living Center for their care and compassion.
Memorial contributions may be made in Donna’s name to Zion Lutheran Church in Ashton, the Ashton Community Center, or a charity of your choice.
