Donna was born November 22, 1954, in Sioux City, Iowa, to James and Rose (McCulloch) Boyle. She grew up tough as the middle of nine children. She graduated from South Sioux City High School and married Valdemar Paul “Val” Helt on July 8, 1979. She worked much of her life in various accounting roles at Iowa Beef Packers (IBP, Inc.), which later became Tyson Foods.
Donna was sassy, goofy, and full of determination. After a catastrophic stroke in 2010, she fought her way through recovery, refusing to accept the limits doctors placed on her. She has resided at Ambassador Health for the past few years, where the aides and staff adored her. She enjoyed sharing meals with her friends, with cheeseburgers making up more than their fair share of her menu. She was nearly always dressed in purple, known for her collection of hilarious T-shirts, and never without a cardigan.
To her children, nobody worked harder or overcame more than Donna. They are deeply proud of her and will miss her more than words could possibly say. They were forever arguing over who was her favorite, even though none of them could compete with her beloved grandchildren.
She devoured books and loved crime shows especially Law & Order SVU, the Food Network, game shows, and M*A*S*H reruns. Like her son Vern, she was a Chiefs and Huskers fan. Her greatest joy, however, was her family. She loved her grandchildren beyond measure and delighted in spoiling them absolutely rotten. She was constantly asking about their sports and events, eager to hear what they were doing. Even her weekly bingo game was a way to take care of them: she made sure she always had enough quarters for trips to the vending machine when they visited.
Survivors include her four children, Vernon (Amy) Helt, Jill (Ryan) Aerni, Jennifer (Jason) Lee, and Jessica (David King) Helt; her cherished grandchildren, Abagaile Vaydich (Cody Gilsdorf), Parker and Watson Aerni, and Emerson Donna, Harrison, and Ellis Lee; her beloved four-legged friend, Freyja; her siblings, Henry (Peg) Boyle, Pearl (Gary) Rohmiller, Joseph Boyle, Delores (Lonnie) Clemon, James Boyle, and Daniel Boyle; her extended Helt family; and practically countless nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Valdemar Paul “Val” Helt; her parents, James and Rose Boyle; her brother, John Boyle; and her sister, Mary Hansen and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
She will be especially missed by her family and friends — she was a damn fine human being.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 23, 2026, at American Lutheran Church, 4200 Vine Street, Lincoln, Nebraska with a luncheon to follow. Arrangements are under the direction of Roper & Sons, Lincoln, NE. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. The family strongly encourages those attending to join them in remembering Donna by wearing her favorite color, purple.