Jerome Victor Donner, 78, of rural Laurel, Nebraska, died Monday, Octo. 26, 2026, at Providence Medical Center in Wayne, surrounded by loved ones. He leaves behind a lifetime of hard work, courage, craftsmanship, and generosity. A proud veteran, accomplished builder, and a man of endless talents, Jerome lived a life defined by what he could accomplish with his hands and what he was willing to do for others.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, at p.m. at the Crofton City Auditorium. Military Rites will be conducted by the Crofton American Legion Post #128 at the Crofton Veterans Memorial, Crofton
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Crofton.
Born March 2, 1948, in Yankton, South Dakota, Jerome grew up working on the family farm alongside his 11 brothers and sisters near Crofton. From an early age, he developed an extraordinary work ethic and a resourcefulness that would serve him throughout his life. There wasn't much Jerome couldn't build, repair, or grow.
Jerome served his country in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 as an infantry radio operator, spending much of his deployment atop Núi Bà Đen, a strategically important and fiercely contested mountain during the war. His experiences in Vietnam profoundly influenced his views on military service, sacrifice, and the decisions that send young men and women to war. He continued his military career with another 20 years in the Nebraska Army National Guard, serving in infantry and logistics roles. His service took him to Honduras, Hawaii, France, and other destinations. A gifted marksman, Jerome competed at the national level in military shooting competitions, including events in Arkansas and Puerto Rico. He remained deeply patriotic throughout his life, taking particular pride in Memorial Day traditions, decorating local cemeteries, and honoring fellow veterans through VFW activities.
For more than 35 years, Jerome ran Donner Construction, building, renovating, and roofing countless homes, businesses, and agricultural buildings throughout northeast Nebraska. He later worked at Heritage Homes in Wayne and contributed to the construction of ethanol plants across the state. His abilities extended well beyond construction. He was equally comfortable framing a house, repairing machinery, operating his sawmill, butchering a deer, running a lathe, raising chickens, sitting behind a rifle scope, or climbing high into a tree to bring it down with astonishing precision. He was fearless and felt as comfortable on the roof of a barn or suspended among the branches of a tall tree as he did standing on the ground. He possessed an extraordinary combination of physical endurance, mechanical understanding, and confidence in his own hands.
Those who worked beside Jerome knew that few people could match his endurance. They also knew that a hard day's work with him usually came with plenty of laughter. He had a mischievous sense of humor, a contagious grin, and a way of making even the most exhausting jobs enjoyable. His children learned the value of honest work not through lectures, but through years of working alongside him.
Despite the physical demands of his work, Jerome could often be found spending another two or three hours tending his garden after a long day. His enormous asparagus patch was especially productive, and he generously shared his harvests with family and friends. His home was extremely spoiled with fresh vegetables.
A lifelong woodworker, Jerome operated a small sawmill and transformed trees he harvested into furniture and handcrafted gifts. Carrying on a tradition begun by his father, Paul, he made cedar chests, hall trees, coat racks, and other treasured pieces for his immediate and extended family. His woodworking became another expression of his love for family, creating heirlooms that will be cherished for generations.
Jerome loved family reunions, hunting with his siblings and cousins around Crofton, visiting distant relatives, sharing coffee with friends, and hosting holiday bingo for his grandchildren. He enjoyed good conversation, a few beers, and spending time with the people he loved. He also had quite a sweet tooth, keeping a generous stash of Palmer candies and chocolates around the house and always offering some to anyone who stopped by. Exceptionally honest and generous, he often went out of his way to help others, whether a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger stranded along the road. Family dinners were spent together around the kitchen table, and his children learned respect without ever needing to hear him raise his voice.
In his later years, Jerome continued woodworking, gardening, and taking on smaller construction projects. Slowing down was never particularly appealing to him, and his children often joked that a man his age might finally consider staying off the rooftops. He devoted considerable time to caring for his wife, Colette, during her health challenges and spent his final year thoughtfully simplifying his affairs to ease the responsibilities his family would one day face. Jerome and his former wife, Kathryn (Tramp) Wieseler, raised four children together. He later married Colette (Box) Wittmus, welcoming two stepchildren into his family.
Jerome is survived by his children, Shannon (Scottie) Burgett, Benjamin (Wendy) Donner, Adam (Sara) Donner, and Anthony (Paige) Donner; and his stepchildren, Shasta (Nick) Hans and Ashley (Jesse) Jelinek.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Brittani (Kyle) Phillips, Dustin (Makayla) Burgett, Evan Donner, Olivia (Samuel) Nuño, Kaylee (Nolan) Ohlrich, Tristan Donner, Max Donner, River Jelinek, Ryder Jelinek, Reese Jelinek, Kingston Hans, and Kason Hans; his great-grandchildren, Emerie Phillips and Rhett Phillips; his nine surviving siblings, John, Darnell, Robert, Rose, Helen, Mary Ann, David, Karen, and Diana; and his brothers- and sisters-in-law, Cheryl, Connie, Carol, Mark, Coleen, Carrie, Cathy, and Donald.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Colette (Box) Donner; his former wife, Kathryn (Tramp) Wieseler; his parents, Paul and Margaret Donner; his brothers, Bernard Donner and Gerard Donner; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Donald and Dorrine Box; and his brothers-in-law, Larry, Robert, and Daniel Box.
