Donna Marie Kallal

On September 28, 2025, Donna Kallal (66), née Winter, passed into her everlasting reward. She is survived by her brothers – James, Jeffrey, and Mark – her husband, Phillip, and her five children – Rev. Fr. Peter, Julie, Christopher, Nicholas, and Theresa. After months of hospitalization from a hemorrhagic stroke, she passed away quietly in her home, surrounded by her family.

Donna was born the youngest of four children to Marcel and MaryAnne Winter in Belleville, Illinois on January 11, 1959. She loved her childhood, often recalling her daily afternoon paper-route, riding her bike to the neighborhood pool, and enjoying life out-of-doors. She attended St. Therese Catholic grade school and Althoff high school (class of 77). The only girl of the family, she quickly made friends for life who described her as “positive, having an unforgettable smile,” and “laughing, always having a great time.” They would faithfully visit and pray for her during her sickness, fifty-five years later. Earning her BS at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Donna began her career as a medical technologist and continued it part-time while being a homemaker, showing her children the lab where she worked and creating fieldtrips for their grade-school biology classes.

Shortly after college, through a mutual connection she met Phillip, and in 1984 they married at the Old Cathedral of St. Louis. Many called the couple “perfect compliments,” she the go-getter and he, “the calm to her storm.” They were married forty-one years and together raised five children. They became very active in their parish, St. Mary’s Assumption, and their children’s grade school, Queen of the Holy Rosary Academy. If something went wrong – leaky pipes, falling shingles – Donna and Phillip were often the first to be told. If Phil couldn’t fix it, Donna would call the contractors and “make it happen.” If it was a project she could do herself, she would and if not, in her tactful way, she would motivate her children and friends to help her.

Donna was a good mother. Having gotten her feet wet with a set of twins, she always made a point to encourage other mothers whom she saw pushing a two-wheeled stroller. She would say, “Been there, done that. It’ll get easier, don’t worry.” She was always the parent to go soliciting with her kids for their annual grade school fundraiser, usually standing outside in the cold. Never a quitter, she would encourage them on: “Come on, we stay until $100 and then we can leave…Don’t forget to say thank you and smile.” Frequently on a Saturday morning, she would drive them twenty-five minutes down to church to spend hours “picking up the gumballs” fallen from the sycamore trees and weeding the garden. When her little helpers grumbled, she would say, “Offer it up to Our Lady. And if you don’t complain, I’ll buy you McDonalds for lunch.”

One of Donna’s unforgettable trademarks was her devotion to Our Lady through saying the rosary. On March 9, 2018, she made the consecration to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort and ever harbored a strong love of her heavenly Mother. Sometimes to her children’s embarrassment, she would come home from a doctor’s visit or grocery-store-run saying, “You’ll never guess what happened. I was in the waiting room making rosaries to pass the time, when someone asked me…,” or, “I saw someone was wearing a miraculous medal, so I asked them if they were Catholic and if they still said the rosary.” Far from being preachy, she had the talent to help others open-up, and they would leave the conversation with a smile on their face.

Everyone who knew Donna remembers her smile, and she will be missed for her warm hospitality and irreplaceable friendship. Mother, sister, friend, may she rest in peace.

Visitation: 4-8pm Friday, Oct. 3rd (recitation of the rosary at 6pm) Ziegenhein Funeral Home 4830 Lemay Ferry Rd., 63129

Funeral “Requiem” Mass: 10am Saturday, Oct. 4th St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church 1126 Dolman St., 63104

Burial: following Mass Resurrection Cemetery 6901 MacKenzie Rd., 63123

Reception: following burial service Queen of the Holy Rosary Academy 393 W. Old Watson Rd., 63119

Memorials may be made to Queen of the Holy Rosary Academy, St. Louis, MO