Donna Geraldine Bowen

Donna Geraldine Sabin Bowen, 93, of Idaho Falls, passed away December 15, 2025, in her home.

Donna was born June 12, 1932, in Gilbert, Arizona, to Dewey and Donnetta Sabin. She grew up attending schools in Mesa, Arizona, and Yuba City, California. Donna attended the local community college for one year.

She enjoyed being an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. On June 24, 1953, Donna married her eternal companion, and an Idaho boy, Elmer RD Bowen, in the Mesa, Arizona, Temple. Together, Donna and Elmer had 9 children, one being stillborn (Dana). They lived in California, Utah, and Wyoming, and later back to Idaho.

Donna worked various jobs, and worked hard to help take care of her family. She had a talent for being frugal which she learned during both the great depression years and her nearly 38 years of being widowed and single. She was a good example of how to save and live within her means.

Donna loved to sing and play the piano. Among some of her hobbies and interests, she made quilts, sewed, canned fruits and vegetables, tumbled rocks, made jewelry, collected dolls, milked cows, made homemade wheat bread, enjoyed coloring, and doing word searches.

Donna and Elmer spent nearly 35 years together until Elmer’s untimely death in 1988. Donna valued her family and church in her life over everything else.

Donna is survived by her children Janice Calaway, Linda (Tom) Wigginton, Daryl (Diana) Bowen, daughter-in-law (Bryan's wife) Teresa Bowen, and Elmer Ray (Valerie) Bowen, twenty-eight (28) grandchildren, and sixty (60) great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her three siblings Wallace (Amanda) Sabin, Joseph (Patricia) Sabin, Robert (Patricia) Sabin, her husband, and her sons Glenan Bowen, Bryan Bowen, Vic Bowen, and Kip (Francis) Bowen.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 27, 2025 at Nalder Funeral Home, 110 W Oak Street in Shelley. The family will receive friends Saturday from 12:00 p.m. till 12:45 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Casper, Wyoming.

Those who would like to participate in the funeral service remotely are invited to view the service on a live broadcast on Nalder Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

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