Donna Ellen (Darfler) Novak passed away surrounded by her family on August 6, 2024.

Donna was born on May 20, 1937, to John and Edna (Smith) Darfler in Helena, MT. She was the second of four children. She called Helena home for her entire life and spent her childhood playing baseball and soccer with the neighborhood kids in the middle of Lyndale Avenue. She attended Bryant Elementary School as well as Helena Middle School. In high school, she played basketball and was an avid volleyball player.  Donna completed her education at Helena High School and graduated in 1955.

Donna loved sharing stories about camping, fishing, and hunting in the mountains with her brother Jack and their dad, who lovingly nicknamed her Sam. As much as she loved the outdoors and spending time with John, she loved being inside and baking with Edna. After John's untimely death during her teen years, she stepped up and took a job at Union Bank in downtown Helena so that she could help Edna take care of the family.

While attending a dance at the Helena Valley's Shanty (where now Bob's Valley Market is), she met a strapping young Korean War veteran and dairy farmer named Mike Novak. They married in 1958, which began Donna's adventure as the wife of a dairy farmer. Her city roots did not hold her back from catching onto the farming way of life. She had a remarkable way with animals and raising the calves was her passion on the dairy. After five years she left the bank to help with the dairy full time and raise some babies.  Mike and Donna welcomed seven kids into the world: Shelley, Jackie, Tony, Patrick, Donald, Ron, and Bobbi. They raised each one of their kids on the dairy and instilled a work ethic that is still reflected by their grandchildren today. Dairy farming is not easy but she embraced milking cows seven days a week, providing three square meals per day for her family, and all the other duties required of a loving wife and mother.

Donna had a heart of gold and never turned anyone away from her home. She was known to regularly feed or give an extra bed to neighbor kids who will forever be part of the family. She fed all the hired men lunch at the dairy and always wanted to make sure that everyone was taken care of.

Even though she worked incredibly hard, she still knew how to have fun. She always enjoyed going to the horse races and even owned her own racehorse "Dinners Darling". Making Potica bread was also something she enjoyed, and she loved to pass the tradition on to whoever wanted to learn. She always looked forward to road trips with her two sisters, Pat and Darlene. There was never a dull moment when they were together.

Her family was very important to her, she always kept in contact with her aunts, uncles, and cousins and she cherished their get-togethers. Donna and Mike started the annual Memorial Day Pig Roast and baseball game on the dairy to help stay connected to family and friends. On any given year half of the Helena Valley attended the party. Eventually, it was time to slow things down a bit and she was able to maintain sobriety for forty-one years. In August 1992, Mike passed away and she never remarried. In her later years, she retired from the dairy and worked at Wal-Mart for ten years. Donna enjoyed all the wonderful friends she made before retiring from the workforce.

Donna was blessed with 22 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and 5 great, great, grandchildren who all loved her very much. One of her true passions was going to anything her grandkids had going on. If there was a sporting event, recital, rodeo, or the 4-H fair Donna was sure to be in the stands cheering them on or helping behind the scenes. She was a very proud mother and grandma.

She was a true blessing to her family and everyone she knew.

She is preceded in death by her husband Michael Novak, her parents John Darfler, and Edna (Smith)  Darfler, her brother Jack Darfler, sisters Pat Warnke and Darlene Stanger. She is survived by her Children Shelley (Butch) Parmer, Jackie Leslie, Tony (Jolene) Novak, Patrick (Leanne) Novak, Donald Novak, Ron (Pam) Novak, Bobbi (Jerome) Steiner. Many grandkids, great grandkids and great great grandkids.

A public viewing will be held on Monday, August 19th at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, 120 West Riggs Street, East Helena, Montana at 11:00 AM, followed by a Funeral Mass at 12:00 PM, and an interment at St Ann's Cemetery following mass.

Simple Cremation Montana has assisted the family.