Doniella, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on May 16, 2026, surrounded by the love she spent a lifetime giving so freely to others. She leaves behind a family and community forever shaped by her kindness, strength, humor, and unwavering devotion to the people she loved. She was 51 years old.
A Graveside Funeral Service will be held on Friday, May 22nd at 2:00pm at Highland Cemetery in Great Falls. Arrangements have been entrusted to Croxford Funeral Home.
Doniella is survived by her devoted husband of 30 years, David McLeod; her children Joseph (Alexis), Fred (Jesse), Jade (Alex) Weindand, and Airyanna (Justin) McLane; and her cherished grandchildren Jathen McLeod, 15, David McLeod, 14, Alivia McLeod, 3, and Elsie McLane, 1 year old. She was preceded in death by her mother, father, and grandparents.
To know her was to know warmth. She created a home overflowing with love, laughter, comfort, and acceptance — the kind of home where friends became family and everyone always felt welcome. She had a rare gift for caring deeply for others, even while quietly carrying her own chronic pain and illness with remarkable grace and strength. No matter what she was facing, she continued pouring her energy into loving and uplifting the people around her.
Donnie was a devoted army wife, holding down home base and David; he often mentions how his lengthy military service would not have been possible without her. Through his service they traveled the world from 1996 to 2005 when they settled in Havre, Montana, remaining there until their final move to Great Falls in 2022.
She was truly the heart of her family. A proud and selfless giver, she believed fiercely in the potential of others and found joy in helping people become the best versions of themselves. Whether through encouragement, advice, humor, or simply showing up when someone needed her most, she touched countless lives and helped many people through difficult seasons. She believed one of life’s greatest purposes was leaving the world with good humans, and she lived that belief every day.
She loved the little things in life — a good scent, meaningful conversations, coffee dates, shopping trips, music, art museums, relaxing with close friends and family, crocheting, doing hair, volunteering in her children’s schools, and planning unforgettable parties and gatherings. She could spend an entire day shopping and talking with the people she loved most and somehow make every ordinary moment feel special.
She was known for being the best gift giver, always able to make dreams come true and somehow turn even the simplest gesture into something unforgettable. She collected perfumes, lotions, sprays, and little treasures, believing that caring for people could be shown in thoughtful details. She had impeccable taste in music and could create the perfect playlist for any moment, listening to every genre and singing along without hesitation.
Her wisdom, humor, and words will continue to live on in the people she loved. One of her favorite sayings was, “Your presentation is a representation of you and your character,” a reflection of the pride she took in caring for others and carrying herself with love and intention.
Above all else, she was the world’s best mother and wife — the kind of woman whose love changed people. Her family was her greatest accomplishment, her deepest joy, and the center of everything she did. The legacy she leaves behind is immeasurable: generations of people who feel more loved, more capable, and more seen because she was here.
She will be missed beyond words and remembered for a lifetime.
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