Donna Marie Walls

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Donna Marie walls, 64, of Eveleth. She died peacefully, surrounded by loving family members, on Tuesday night, December 2, 2025 at Essentia Health-Northern Pines in Aurora.

Donna was born on June 16, 1961 to Joseph and Margaret (Behrens) Schley in Virginia, Minnesota. A proud member of Biwabik High School class of 1979. She went on to UMD (B.A, M.A.) ultimately taking a teaching job at the Eveleth – Gilbert Public Schools. In her early career, she taught at the junior high in Gilbert, where she actually loved her students; later, she taught English at the high school in Eveleth, where she again loved those older students, too. In short, Donna loved teaching.

Some of her fondest memories were the driving vacations she would take with her friends once school was out for the summer. Nothing was planned in advance. They simply picked a direction and drove, discovering new places, interesting people, and various sites. She also loved the trips to Australia, where she (and sometimes her family) would visit her best friend Bonnie Monsrud and her husband Bruce. She loved the exotic places Australia offers.

During the summer festival season, Donna operated Barb’s Fried Bread, a food truck business begun by her aunt, Barbara Leinonen. She loved meeting all kinds of wonderful people through those experiences. Her husband Wally and her sister Dana Peterson were invaluable in helping her keep that truck on the move. Later, in retirement, Donna loved the trips she and Terry would take to see the sites and to visit his children. Of course, it almost goes without saying that she also loved the trips out to Lakeland where she could visit her beloved grandsons and their parents, Sarah and Jake.

Donna was proceeded in death by her husband Wally Walls, her father Joseph (Jim) Schley; her grandparents: Joseph and Stella Schley; her grandparents: Heinrich and Agnes Behrens; her aunts: Barbara Leinonen, Joan Scipioni, and Susan Anderson; and many loved fur babies.

She is survived by her life partner, Terry Treloar of Hibbing, daughter, Sarah (Jake) Stachovich, and their sons: Cullen and Finley of Lakeland; mother Margaret Schley of Lakeland, brother Doug (Laurie) Schley of Mounds View; sisters; Dana Peterson of Lakeland and Diana Brennan of Virginia; stepsons: Mike Walls of Alaska and Chris Walls of Hoyt Lakes; stepdaughters: Sheryl (Rick)Turk of Big Lake, Lori Walls of Aurora and Lisa Laugen of Hoyt Lakes; uncles: Dave Schley of Kansas City and Bruce Behrens of Lakeland; aunts: Helen Ellingson of Brooklyn Park, Sue (Hal) Devereux, Monica (Steve) Von Wald, and Becky (Ron) Mackey, all of Lakeland, many wonderful cousins and great friends. She will be missed by all of them.

Donna‘s family would like to thank all the personnel at the Northern Pines medical complex in Aurora and the Solvay Hospice Care people. Their expertise and compassion were limitless!

A celebration of life for Donna will be held at 3 pm Saturday, December 20, 2025 at the Biwabik Park Pavilion with Pastor Jeanne Madsen officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Mesabi Humane Society. Arrangements are by the Ziemer- Moeglein- Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert.