Donna M. Thyssen

Donna M. (Janssen) Thyssen, 85, of West De Pere passed away at Rennes Health on October 23, 2025. Donna was born August 4,1940, to the late Norbert and Alice (Smith) Janssen. She was a graduate of Nicolet High School. She married Earl J. Thyssen at St. Joseph Church in De Pere on May 28, 1960.
Donna was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She worked at St. Norbert College before leaving to raise her 2 children. She was an accomplished artist who enjoyed seeking inspiration for her paintings, then gifting them or placing them on her wall for all to enjoy. For years she enjoyed taking and teaching painting classes at the Senior Center. Donna loved making wedding and birthday cakes for her family and friends for many years.
Donna and her husband owned and operated Decorative Doodles craft shop, in Lakewood Wisconsin. She was gifted in creating arts and craft items and loved interacting with customers and enjoying the Up North lifestyle. She continued to paint even while at Rennes and had her paintings displayed on her room walls.
Survivors include her children; Debbie (Stephen) Arbes, and Laurie (Dan) Morinelli. Her grandchildren; Lynsie (Carl) Franzene, Shawn Boknevitz, Michelle Boknevitz, Crystal Morinelli, James Morinelli, Karinne Overton, Jason (Leah) Arbes, Nicole Arbes, Cassandra (Josh) Shaudvitis, Kara (Jake) Adler, Lexi (Bobby) Thyssen, and her great grandchildren Jase, Brody and Harper Franzene, Brayden and Olivia Boknevitz, Bentley Morinelli, Jayce Shaudvitis, Evelyn and Calaway Adler, Mylah and Ashlyn Thyssen and Atlas Leverich. She is further survived by her siblings Pat Vickman, Jack (Mary) Janssen, Bob (Sue) Janssen; sisters-in-law Carol Thyssen, JoAnne (Ken) Verhooven, Jean Francis, Janice (Jim) Jordan.
She was preceded in death by her husband Earl, parents, Norbert and Alice Janssen, parents in law, Joseph and Minnie Thyssen, sisters Nancy Leiterman, Barb Janssen, sister in laws Donna Thyssen and Teenie Thyssen. Brothers-in-law Robert Vickman, David Leiterman, Harold "Butch" Thyssen, Ralph Thyssen, Henry "Hank" Thyssen, Robert Francis.
Family and friends may call on Saturday, Nov 1, 2025, from 9:00AM – 11:00AM at Ryan Funeral Home, De Pere, WI. A memorial service will begin immediately following the visitation at 11:00 AM.
Our Family would like to express our special thanks to Rennes Health Center De Pere for all their kindness and caring they gave to Mom for the last 4 years. Everyone there held a special place in mom's heart as well as ours. Special thanks as well to Unity Hospice for their kind care and compassion for my mom in her last days.