Dona June Hillmon was born on June 14, 1923 at Crookston, MN the daughter of George Harvey and Neva Beatrice (Wilson) Hillmon. Dona lived at the Northwest School of Agriculture where she also attended school, graduating in 1941 from Central High School.

On November 10, 1943 she went into service with the Womens Army Corps (WAC) in the United States Army, where she served for two years in Dayton, OH. On October 11, 1945 Dona was Honorably Discharged.

She married Wayne Harry Sweney at International Falls, MN on December 28, 1945. The couple lived in many places in the western United States because Wayne was a civil engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation. In 1993 Dona moved from Phoenix, AZ to Minneapolis, MN and then to Grand Forks, ND in October of 1996 where she has since resided.

Survivors include her three children, Kathryn Louise Sweney of Grand Forks, ND, Bruce (Judy) Sweney of Lincoln, NE and Shirley Jane Sweney of Pueblo, CO; six grandchildren, Russell (Tammy) Smith, Melodee Anderson, Michael (Melanie) Sweney, Matthew (Jill) Sweney, Shirley (Michael P.) Rhea and Michael (Mary) Meisner; four great-grandchildren, Alexander Philion, Kiana Keller, Brian Sweney, Austin John Rhea and Rayma (Melvin) Melin of Red Lake Falls, MN.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Wayne in 1990; parents; brother, Rollis Hillmon in 1991; sisters, Betty Johnson and Shirley Hillmon at 18 months.