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Former Shell Lake Mayor Dies Unexpectedly in Italy

Former Shell Lake Mayor Dies Unexpectedly in Italy

Donna Barnes-Haesemeyer, Mayor of Shell Lake between 2008 and 2012, died unexpectedly last week on April 26 while in Tuscany, Italy with family and friends.

The family remains in Italy finalizing plans and according to daughter Alexandra, “Upon our return to Madison, our family will work to organize a gathering to celebrate Donna’s life and to share stories."

A full obituary will be posted when available.

According to her LinkedIn page, Donna has had successful careers in a number of different fields: education, public relations, government administration, and travel. Her broad base of knowledge and diverse skills have made her a valuable employee, first at the University of Kansas, later for Johnson County Kansas and the City of Shell Lake, and, currently, at Burkhalter Travel. 

Donna holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Kansas, where she taught Composition and Literature for three years. After completing her Master's degree, she was employed by Johnson County, Kansas, as Public Relations and Research Director.

Upon moving to Wisconsin, Donna became a community leader and activist with 30 years' experience in local government. She was elected to four terms as Alderperson in Shell Lake, Wisconsin and served one term as Mayor of the city. 

Concurrently, she also began an entrepreneurial career in travel as Owner and Manager of Rice Lake Travel and Cruise Port Travel agencies. 

She has traveled extensively and has firsthand knowledge of Thailand, China, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru and several Caribbean islands. 

In addition to planning individual leisure travel, she organizes and escorts groups. She speaks fluent French and comprehends basic Spanish and Italian.

Last Update: May 02, 2017 10:11 am CDT

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