July 22, 1939 to July 12, 2025
Janet “Donna” Walker (nee Rigby) passed away on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Olds Alberta with family by her side.
Donna will be dearly missed by her three daughters Tracey (Nicole Laframboise), Holly (Mark Buck), and Heather (Rob Lengyel) along with her four grandchildren, Rigby (son of Heather), and Ryan, Ashton and Sawyer (children of Holly).
She will be lovingly remembered by many other extended family members - cousins, nieces and nephews along with numerous great friends, including best friend Glenda Cantlon.
Mom was born to Tom and Gertrude Rigby in The Pas Manitoba and was the youngest of four kids. As a child she had a very strong, determined personality. This attitude carried her through to have a life full of great and exciting adventures! Mom took her nurses training with the nuns at the Royal Jubilee School of Nursing in Victoria BC . With that came a career as the only civilian nurse on the military base in Churchill Manitoba in the early 60s. During her time in Churchill, Mom would jump at the chance to fly to remote communities to fully experience northern nursing. Her time in Churchill allowed her to save up enough money to make the move to Oahu Hawaii. Time in Hawaii was spent enjoying the beautiful islands, making good friends, and of course, continuing her nursing career. Mom followed this up with more travel throughout Europe and shortly after returned to The Pas to care for her granny Cochrane, who played a huge role in raising her.
She worked for Indian Health in The Pas before starting her long-term career as a nursing instructor at Keewatin Community College. The Pas also brought her to meet Jack Walker. As she put it, dad was a little too straight laced for her, but eventually won her over and together they shared 48 wonderful years, raising their daughters, building a beautiful home at Ralls Island, curling, enjoying their cabin at Clearwater Lake, spending time with family and friends and being active in the Church and Elks Lodge communities.
After their retirement, mom and dad moved out to Olds, Alberta to be closer to grandchildren and other family.
Our mom was an amazing woman; beating the odds of lung cancer diagnosis in the late 90s and continuing to be our biggest supporter, mom and friend.
Mom, we will all carry your great sense of humor, strength, courage, and love that you displayed to each of us. And of course, we will continue to work on trying to be the great scrabble player that you were.
We love you and thank you for being the best mom we could have ever hoped to have. An online memorial will take place at a later date. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at heartlandfuneralservices.com
