Donna Okroi

Donna Okroi, 70, of Grenville, SD, passed away after a courageous battle with Acute Leukemia on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at Bethesda Home in Webster. Mass Of Christian Burial will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday November 16, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grenville. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Monday 5-7 P.M. at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster closing with the rosary. Donna Jean Gaikowski was born on July 30, 1951 at Peabody Hospital to Roman and Rosemary (Breske) Gaikowski. The family lived on a farm by Waubay. Donna attended Alto country school near their home and graduated from Waubay High School in 1969. After high school, she moved to Watertown and worked at Woolworths. On July 3, 1971, she met the love of her life, Roman “Pete” Okroi at a dance in Grenville. The couple married January 13, 1973 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Waubay. They made their home in Waubay and then Roslyn for a short time before settling on the Okroi family farm near Pickerel Lake. The couple had a dairy operation, raised stock cattle, and were also engaged in grain farming. Donna owned and operated “Grandma’s House” for many years, taking care of many hunters and fisherman and treating them with her famous chocolate chip cookies! Donna was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church where she was active in the Altar Society. She was also a member of the Grenville American Legion Auxiliary. Pete and Donna enjoyed traveling to the southwest in winter months. She enjoyed flower gardening, bowling, baking, playing cards, and above all else, she cherished time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren. On March 5, 2020, Donna was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia. She often said if her granddaughter Regan could beat cancer, then she would too! Donna passed away due to complications from Acute Leukemia on Wednesday November 10, 2021 at Webster, South Dakota at the age of 70 years, 3 months, and 11 days. She will be forever loved and greatly missed by her husband Roman “Pete” Okroi of Grenville, SD, her mother Rosemary Gaikowski of Webster, SD, four children: Jeanne Huber of Sisseton, SD, Roman “Jon” Okroi of Halstad, MN, Kristi (Troy) Zoellner of Groton, SD, and Steven (Elizabeth Schulz) Okroi of Pierre, SD, 18 grandchildren, and one great-grandson. She is also survived by four siblings: Dean Gaikowski, Duane Gaikowski, and Janet (Wayne) Bartelt all of Waubay, SD, and Ramona (Gary) Youell of Webster, SD, four sisters-in-law: Delores Lardy of Webster, SD, Debra (Terry) Morrill of Roslyn, SD, Diana (Mike) Jones of Belle Fourche, SD, Pat Okroi of Sioux Falls, SD, and one brother-in-law Robert Kriech of Waubay, SD. She will also be missed dearly by her canine companion, Sophie. She was preceded in death by her father, two brothers: Douglas Gaikowski and Alan Gaikowski, two sisters: Lora Gaikowski and Jane Kriech, one brother-in-law Julian Okroi, and one sister-in-law Donna Huggett-Schmidt.