Donna Iszler

Donna Jean (Fladland) Iszler, 80, of Grand Forks, ND, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2015 in Valley Eldercare Center, Grand Forks. Donna Jean Fladland was born May 30, 1934 in rural New Effington, SD, the daughter of Lynn and Alma (Pederson) Fladland. She attended her first eight grades in country school, rural Roberts County, SD. She attended high school at the SD School for the Blind in Gary, SD, graduating in 1952. She then attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD earning her BA in Education. She completed her Masters Degree in Education at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. She married George Iszler on June 2, 1959. They had one daughter, Cheryl. George died on December 23, 1989. Donna married Duane Preabt on November 23, 1991. She was employed by the SD School for the Blind from 1956-57. She came to Grand Forks to work for the ND School for the Blind in 1957 and retired in 2003, but continued part-time until 2009. She loved working with the students and teaching them music and braille. She also loved working with adults with recent visual impairments and was employed by Wyoming Lions Camp, Casper Mountain, WY for every summer from 1980-1997. Her love of music was evident in her personal life also as she was pianist at Augustana Lutheran Church in Grand Forks from 1970-2007. Donna received numerous awards during her life including, Humanitarian Award from the Council for Exceptional Children, 1981, Certificate of Merit, Wyoming Department of Education, 1985, Outstanding State Employee NDPEA Chapter Award, 1991, AER Worker of the Year (Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired), Dakota Chapter, 1995, Alfred Allen Award, AER International, 2000, and the Melvin Jones Award, Red River Lions, 2005. She is survived by Her daughter, Cheryl (Lynn) Misialek, Grand Forks; grandchildren, Kyle, Crosby, ND, Kelsey, Fargo, ND, Kody and Kourtney, Grand Forks; her husband, Duane Preabt, Grand Forks; stepchildren, Shawn (Iva) Preabt, Fargo, ND and their daughter Haylee (Justin Sirjord) Preabt, Grand Forks, Tim (Linda) Preabt and their children, Rylan, Sierra, and Molly, Parker, CO; sister, Joan (Aaron) Anderson, Veblen, SD; three nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister, Averil Aadland, and husband, George Iszler. Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Augustana Lutheran Church, 520 University Ave., Grand Forks. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service in Amundson Funeral Home, 2975 S. 42nd St., Grand Forks and one hour prior to the service in the church. Interment will be in Memorial Park North Cemetery, Grand Forks. Memorials are preferred to ND School for the Blind Foundation or Augustana Lutheran Church.