Donna Knipfer

Sadly, our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Donna May Knipfer, 78, passed peacefully surrounded by family on March 14, 2026, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. She was born October 9, 1947, to CG and Eloise (Hadley) Snakenberg in Washington, Iowa. Donna graduated from English Valleys High School in North English, Iowa in 1965. She married Stanley Knipfer on May 9, 1965, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They started married life in North English, having three children before moving to the farm near Webster, Iowa. She was employed at the English Valley Care Center, Miller Refrigeration, John Wehr Law Office and later for the Keokuk County Engineers Office as a secretary. In 2007 they moved to Keosauqua, Iowa, and she was the secretary for the Methodist Churches at Birmingham and Stockport. Donna was very talented at painting, sewing, quilting, knitting and crocheting. Donna and her mother made many name doilies and she made the frames for them. She enjoyed traveling with Stanley listening to his music and researching the family genealogy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, grandson Jacob Knipfer, and sister Karmen Snakenberg.

She is survived by her husband Stanley, their children Janora (Jeff) Hayes of Urbandale, Russell (Suzette) Knipfer of Washington and Paul (Crichton) Knipfer of Oregon, 6 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 5 step-great-grandchildren, two sisters Linda Melsha, and Patricia (Myles) Miller.

Memorials: What Cheer Opera House

Visitation: Wednesday March 18, 2026 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Holm Funeral Home
Funeral Service: Thursday March 19, 2026 10:30 a.m. Holm Funeral Home
Burial: Pleasant Hill Cemetery - Harper