Former students recall impact of ‘MamaB’

I would like to start this story by saying that it is a sad story but it also celebrates the life of Donna Jean Baumgartner. 

Donna was an amazing person. She took the stage and was a light in so many lives; she helped me get my first role in the happy elf as a part of the ensemble. It was the best time of my life, and after that I kept doing theater. I would always tell Donna or Mrs B about everything I was doing, and I was always proud of what I was doing even if it was backstage like in the Hobbit where I did costumes and she came both for the play and to see me and say hi. 

I saw her a while before her death, and I thought she was fine, so when my mom told me about her death it came down like a ton of bricks. I was crushed. I did not like thinking about a life without Mrs B.

Mikal Pepperling, a former student who knew Donna, remembered her. “Growing up, school wasn’t easy for me. With ADD, dyslexia, and an uncommon home life, I struggled academically. In third grade, I was told I’d have a special teacher to help me a few times a day. That’s when I met Mrs. Baumgartner, but to me, she became known as MamaB. I didn’t realize at the time just how much of an impact she would have on my life.

“MamaB did more than teach me; she inspired me. She encouraged me to look beyond what my eyes could see and to think deeply, to explore. It was in her class that I learned the value of nature and the delicate balance within it. She introduced us to wolves, using them as a powerful metaphor for life.”

“Through her, I learned about wolf packs—the meaning of a good pack and the importance of strong leadership within it. Inspired by this, MamaB volunteered at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minn., where she even helped raise wolf pups. She shared those experiences with us, letting us watch the wolves on camera, and those moments have stuck with me to this day.

“Her lessons weren’t just about wolves. They were about resilience, connection, and the strength of community. She once gave me a book she wrote about her dad, a WWII veteran who shared her love for nature. That book still inspires me to this day

“After I left elementary school and started playing football, MamaB retired. But she never stopped. She traveled with loved ones, started foundations to help others in Tanzania, continued her work in theater, and continued to live life fully.

“MamaB came to my rescue again during a tough time in my junior year of high school. I realized I was missing key math credits to qualify for the scholarships I had worked so hard for. If I wanted to go to the school of my dreams, I had to double up on math classes my senior year. That’s when MamaB stepped in—this time with peach salsa, love, and determination. Thanks to her guidance, I was able to chase my dreams.”

“In 2017, MamaB called on me again—this time for help backstage during a production of Spamalot. I moved props, and she bragged to everyone about how I could move an entire castle by myself. She hugged me and said, ‘That’s my boy,’ lighting up my world. She had no children of her own, but I was hers, and she was my second mom.

“This past Wednesday, Sept. 25, I had the chance to say goodbye. I was told her memory was fading and that she was quiet and unresponsive these days. But when I arrived, she was in a music therapy session, lying there with her eyes closed. When it was my turn, I rushed to her bedside, touched her shoulder, and grabbed her hand. Unsure if she would wake up, I excitedly said, ‘Hi, MamaB, it’s me.’ Her hand clenched mine, and her eyes opened. She remembered me. We spent two precious hours sharing stories and laughter with her, her husband Bum, and her sister. Two days later, on Sept. 27, MamaB passed away peacefully.

“Teaching is more than a profession. It takes a special kind of person to inspire and uplift those who struggle. MamaB was that person. She not only educated me, she shaped me.

“As I listened to the music therapist play that day, a song that’s been on repeat in my mind came back to me: Last Minute by Wookiefoot. It’s about getting caught up in life’s deadlines and missing the important moments. Leading up to Wednesday, something kept urging me to reach out to MamaB, and that song would play as if on cue. I’m so thankful I listened and got to have that final moment with her.

“Thank you for everything, MamaB. I love you more than words can express. I wouldn’t be who I am today without you, and for that, I am forever grateful. Until we meet again.”

At the celebration of life, her sister told us something that Mrs B always said and that thing changed my look on life and it was ‘She was rough and tough and hard to bluff and used to hardships,’ a very motivating thing that I will always remember.

She was a big part in my life and lots of other people’s lives as I learned at the celebration of life. It was amazing to hear about parts of Mrs B’s life that I never knew, and it showed that she was a shining star.

Donna Baumgartner was an actress, coriogrever dancer. A sister, a daughter , a wife , a friend to all. She was everything she was a star and she will be missed greatly,

Goodbye Donna Baumgartner; you are loved and will be missed.